School bus on practice run loses an axle, wheels after fire in Burton

A school bus on a practice run Wednesday — a day before the opening of Beaufort County public schools — caught fire and broke down in the Burton area.

The “very minor fire” in a rear wheel well created smoke as the axle and a pair of wheels came off around 10:30 a.m. on Providence Road near Parris Island Gateway, Burton Fire District spokesman Dan Byrne said. No injuries were reported. The driver was the only person on the bus, Byrne said. A bystander stopped and put out the flames with the school bus’ fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived.

Beaufort County School District Director of Communications Jim Foster said the state-owned 1995 model school bus was on a practice run for Thursday’s start to the school year. The downed bus will not affect bus routes Thursday since a spare bus will be put in where the damaged one was scheduled, he said.

Students participate in drills twice a year so they will know what to do in case of a break down or other bus emergency, Foster said. In an event such as this, the students would be evacuated from the bus and collected by another school bus to continue their journey to or from school.

This story was originally published August 16, 2017 at 4:06 PM with the headline "School bus on practice run loses an axle, wheels after fire in Burton."