A bus carrying children from St Patrick's Catholic Primary School in Ryhope burst into flames on the A19 near Sunderland on Tuesday afternoon, but all pupils and staff escaped unharmed. The coach was returning from a school trip to the Beamish Museum when the fire broke out.
Incident Details
The fire occurred on the southbound carriageway of the A19 close to the Seaton Interchange for the A1018 (Seaham) shortly after 2:30pm. The bus driver quickly noticed smoke, pulled over safely, and evacuated the vehicle. Emergency services, including Northumbria Police, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS), and the ambulance service, responded. Three fire engines from Farringdon and Sunderland Central Community Fire Stations were dispatched, and the blaze was extinguished by 3:10pm. One lane was closed, causing heavy traffic, but no injuries were reported, and the ambulance service was stood down.
Headteacher's Praise
Headteacher Jane Ward commended the pupils for their calm and sensible behaviour. In a statement, she said: "During the return journey from a school trip to Beamish earlier today, one of the coaches transporting pupils began to emit smoke. The driver immediately recognised the issue, pulled over safely, and followed all required safety procedures. All pupils and staff were calmly transferred to another coach provided by the bus company and the situation was managed swiftly and professionally. We would like to commend the White Star bus company’s staff for their quick response, the driver for their prompt actions, and our school staff and pupils for their calm and sensible behaviour throughout." She added that pupils continued their journey without further disruption and arrived back at school safely.
Fire Service Response
A TWFRS spokesperson confirmed: "We can confirm that today, Tuesday, June 23, three appliances attended an incident on the A19. The emergency call came in to our Control Room team at 14:37 and appliances from our Farringdon and Sunderland Central Community Fire Stations were despatched to the Seaton area. The incident involved a bus on fire on the southbound carriageway. Firefighters safely extinguished the blaze, before leaving the scene shortly after 15:10."
