Bus blaze driver plays down hero praise after saving 40 teens

By Eoin English

The quick-thinking driver of a bus who helped save 40 students when it burst in to flames this morning has played down his role in the drama.

"I was just doing my job," Kenmare Coach's Declan Finnegan said.

Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae, whose son, Kevin, 15, was on board, heaped praise on Mr Finnegan, and on the teachers involved in the bus fire drama in Co Cork earlier.

"It was all handled in a professional, cool and calm manner," he said.

Mr Healy-Rae's son was among about 40 pupils of Pobail Scoil Inbhear Sceine in Kenmare who were on board a Kenmare Coaches bus on their way to the national ploughing championships, when it burst in to flames just outside Ballyvourney on the main Cork to Killarney road at around 7am.

One of the students noticed the smell of smoke and alerted a teacher, who told Mr Finnegan.

He managed to bring the bus to a safe halt as smoke began to fill the vehicle before he and the teachers oversaw the safe evacuation of all the passengers.

Gardaí and Macroom fire service rushed to the scene. Fire fighters brought the blaze under control quickly but the coach suffered extensive damage.

Luckily, no-one was injured.

Emergency services also praised Mr Finnegan and the teachers for organising a safe and swift evacuation of all on board.

Another parent said her child had lost a bag of clothes in the blaze but she was very thankful because it could have been a lot worse.

A replacement coach arrived soon afterwards and the children were later collected by their parents.

An investigation is now underway to establish the cause of the blaze.