Home Breaking News Manufacturer investigates cause of Aurora school bus fire

Manufacturer investigates cause of Aurora school bus fire

by Eclipsnews
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Manufacturers of the Aurora Public Schools Bus 1238 that caught fire while carrying fourteen students confirmed Friday that they are investigating the cause.

School district officials defended their oversight of bus safety.

The bus had multiple problems over the past six years, including instances where drivers reported engine lights were on, according to maintenance records reviewed by the Denver Post. On Aug. 7, a report from the driver that the indicator lights were on prompted mechanical inspections and a decision “to leave the lights on for the time being,” records show.

For the past six years, school district technicians have conducted regular inspections and addressed problems reported by drivers. Repairs made under warranty included replacing oxygen sensors and the exhaust manifold and fixing oil leaks, records show. The bus was new in 2018, officials said, and this year’s records show it has more than 25,000 miles on the odometer.

A Colorado Department of Education In 2018, the inspector checked a box indicating the bus was “satisfactory,” records show. It was not clear from the more than 40 pages of maintenance records whether bus 1238 had more mechanical problems than other buses in Aurora’s fleet.

The fire that broke out in the engine compartment on August 14 around 4 p.m. charred the engine and a large part of the bus. The bus driver removed the children from the bus and no one was injured. When rescuers arrived on the scene, near the intersection of East 11th Avenue and North Picadilly Road, they found the bus “heavily engulfed in flames.”

Aurora Fire Rescue Officials considered the fire “accidental,” agency spokeswoman Dawn Small said, but could not determine a cause.

What caused the bus to catch fire?

“The bus manufacturer, IC busis conducting the investigation,” Corey Christiansen, spokesperson for Aurora Public Schools, said in an emailed response to questions.

“Our buses are used intensively every day and undergo a rigorous and ongoing inspection process. The length of the maintenance history demonstrates our commitment to routinely monitoring and promptly resolving any issues that arise,” said Christiansen.

While the bus was transporting students, the bus driver noticed “a small fire in the engine compartment,” he said. The driver stopped the bus and evacuated the children.

The data shows that 75% of the maintenance work performed since 2018 was not directly related to the engine, according to a review of the data by the school district. About 25% of the maintenance involved filling the bus containers with hand sanitizer, and when the “check engine” lights flashed, inspectors found most of the problems were related to emissions or spark plugs — problems that were resolved, Christiansen said. Oil leaks were also immediately addressed by district engineers or the bus dealer, he said.

IC Bus spokeswoman Bre Whalen McCloud said in an email Friday morning that police or other investigators would investigate to determine the cause of the fire. “The safety of the thousands of children who are transported by IC Bus every day is always our top priority. At this time, we are allowing local law enforcement and investigators to complete their process and are prepared to provide any assistance requested.”

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