By Kath Gannaway
Above: Student Jedd Robinson took this graphic photo of the bus engulfed in flames just minutes after he and other students were evacuated. 68324-1
Left: The bus was reduced to a molten shell. 68324-2
AN ANNUAL snow trip literally went up in flames for more than 40 Yarra Valley students on Friday.
They were evacuated from a bus, which was travelling over the Black Spur on its way to Lake Mountain just minutes before it burst into flames, leaving it a molten shell.
The students and teachers were from Dixons Creek, Hoddles Creek, Seville, Woori Yallock, Millwarra and Launching Place primary schools. Launching Place student Jedd Robinson, 9, told the Mail it was a frightening end to what was to be his first trip to the snow.
“We started smelling smoke and then saw it coming out of the floor, and warned the teacher, who warned the bus driver to stop the bus,” Jedd said.
“We got off and five minutes later the bus was in flames.”
Jedd took photos of the burning bus in the minutes after the students were shepherded to safety by the roadside.
“I was really scared, but felt better when the police and fire brigade came,” he said.
Brad Sanders, manager of McKenzies Tourist Buses, which owns the bus said the driver noticed lights come on the dashboard and at the same time was alerted to the smoke.
Mr Sanders said he stopped the bus and asked the teachers and children to evacuate.
“He went around to the back and tried to put the fire out with an extinguisher, but it was too far gone,” he said.
“At the end of the day, the welfare and safety of the passengers were first in mind for our driver and that’s why he evacuated them without hesitation.”
Mr Sanders said the driver was naturally shaken up over the incident, but “he’s OK”.
Education Minister Martin Dixon issued a statement on Friday afternoon, congratulating the teachers involved.
“If not for the quick action of staff, we would be telling a very different story about the events of today,” Mr Dixon said.
“It is my understanding that the teachers alerted the driver to the smoke and made a quick evacuation of the bus that soon after exploded into flames.
“Swift action from those involved has averted a real disaster,” he said.
Jedd also paid tribute to their teacher Kathy Boyd. “All the kids said she did a really good job,” he said.
Mr Sanders said on Friday the bus, valued at around $300,000 was only five years old, and had been regularly serviced.
“It is a very rare thing to happen; we’ve never had a problem with the vehicle before … we just have no idea what’s happened,” he said.
He said a report had been sent to the Public Transport Safety Directorate, and he had spoken to the manufacturer of the bus.
Another school snow trip is scheduled for this Friday, and Jedd told the Mail he is hoping he will finally get to take pictures of snow … not fire!
