BOSTON (WHDH) - Four students were taken to the hospital after a school bus caught on fire on I-93 in Dorchester Monday afternoon, officials said.
The bus caught fire on the northbound side of the highway at around 3 p.m. and the children onboard were evacuated, according to Massachusetts State Police.
The eighth grade students had been on their way to the Josiah Quincy Upper School after a field trip, according to a spokesperson for Boston Public Schools.
Four students were taken to the hospital for evaluation for issues such as smoke inhalation, BPS said. No serious injuries were reported.
All lanes on I-93 North were closed at Exit 14 for about an hour, with traffic being diverted at Exit 13 to Morrissey Boulevard, according to MassDOT. By 4:18 p.m., the two left lanes were reopened, and by 5 p.m., all lanes had reopened.
SKY7-HD spotted a charred school bus on the side of the roadway and a group of students standing outside around 3:30 p.m.
Police said students were put on a backup bus and taken back to the school.
Witnesses from the Star Market down below and up on the expressway watched the fiery situation unfold.
“A ton of smoke building up and one of the customers said, ‘Oh, it smells like there’s a fire going on,’ and then I hear there is a fire,” said witness Cole Lesack. “The flames were biggest over on that side, very black and very prominent.”
Lesack then saw large group of children standing on the bridge.
“All the kids were just lined up over there. I think there were firemen and police officers over there, as well, making sure that the kids were safe,” Lesack said.
The burnt bus was towed away Monday evening.
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