Tuesday’s morning commute turned out to be a little too exciting for 28 riders and the driver of a Clean Air Express bus that caught fire on southbound Highway 101 north of Los Alamos.
Four Santa Barbara County Fire Department engine companies responded to the 6:53 a.m. blaze between Palmer Road and the Solomon Grade. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames billowing from underneath the rear of the bus.
No one was injured in the blaze, and the driver and his passengers, including a commuter with disabilities, safely disembarked before firefighters arrived.
Crews took 15 minutes to extinguish the fire, and the blaze briefly closed the southbound lanes. Damage was limited to the bus’ underside and engine area; the interior passenger compartment was spared.
“We are very pleased no one was injured in the incident and that our contractor was able to handle the situation safely,” Jim Kemp, executive director for the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, said in a statement. The Clean Air Express service is operated by a private contractor and overseen by SBCAG.
“We will make additional information available as we learn more about the incident,” Kemp said.
The bus fire is under investigation.
Clean Air Express buses are fueled by compressed natural gas and pose only a small explosion hazard if the fuel cylinders are exposed to the heat of uncontrolled fire.