NJ School Bus Carrying Student Athletes Erupts Into Flames, No Injuries
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Several high school athletes headed to a track and field meet were forced to flee their school bus when it erupted in flames at a high school in Newark.
The team, heading to a meet in Jersey City on Sunday morning, was delayed waiting for two tardy teammates, CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported.
Damon Harrison, the school's head track and field coach, said that 32 members of the Shabazz High School boys and girls track and field team were on the bus when it erupted into flames.
Harrison, who was in his own car, saw smoke -- then flames -- shooting out of the rear undercarriage of the bus.
"So I start hitting my horn, jumped out the car and got everybody off the bus," Harrison said. "Get off get off get off get off...kids ran that way kids ran that way and as soon as I moved back the whole bottom of the bus just flew and the whole bus caught on fire."
Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames, and there were no reported injuries. Many of the athletes had their uniforms, spikes and other equipment destroyed by the fire.
"It wasn't that big of a fire but that it just kept spreading and it got bigger and bigger...We thought the bus was going to blow up," student Janelle Hunter said.
The start of the meet was delayed so the Shabazz teams could compete, with players sharing racing gear and shoes in order to participate.
"I was extremely proud that they didn't just give up and say I'm going home," Harrison said.
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