By FREDDIE VELEZ
A tourist bus carrying over 40 passengers, including Grade 1 pupils and their parents, suddenly caught fire along the northbound lane of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Barangay Patubig, Marilao, Bulacan on Wednesday night, Oct. 1.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The passengers—mostly young children—were swiftly transferred to another bus.
The school coordinated with the bus company regarding the incident.
According to the initial investigation by the Marilao Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the fire was triggered by a sudden burst in the rear portion of the bus.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames before 10:00 p.m.
The group had just come from a field trip to an amusement park in Pasay City when the incident occurred.
Passengers recounted the terrifying moments. “We were about to enter NLEX when I smelled something strange. Smoke was thick on my side of the window, and the wall beside it was already hot,” shared a mother of one of the pupils.
As the bus came to a stop and the doors opened, passengers rushed out.
While being led away from the vehicle, they reportedly heard another loud explosion as the fire intensified, causing heavy traffic on the expressway.
Many of the children were visibly shaken by the experience, with parents expressing concern over the emotional impact of the ordeal.
