Multiple school buses catch on fire in northwest Dallas
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – A fire involving five school buses and four semi-trucks sent thick black smoke into the air in northwest Dallas Thursday afternoon.
Firefighters got the call around 3:30 p.m. at a storage yard along the southbound service road of I-35 near Manana Drive.
Dallas Fire-Rescue says there were reports of an explosion being heard from the location. It was later confirmed that the vehicles involved were compressed natural gas vehicles and the explosion heard was from the tank of an 18-wheeler.
There was no one at the location when the fire began, DFR said, and there were no surveillance cameras on the property. According to the business owner, many of the vehicles involved had been sitting in the lot for years, with no batteries inside and not being driven.
According to investigators, due to the lack of knowledge of intent, and the inability to determine and eliminate ignition sources, the fire will be listed as undetermined.
Crews briefly called for a second-alarm response, but were able to get the flames contained.
Traffic along I-35 slowed to a crawl as motorists paused to look at the flames and smoke.