Investigation under way as JUTC bus catches fire

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) says a full investigation is being conducted in collaboration with the relevant authorities and its technical team, after one of its buses caught fire yesterday.
The company confirmed that one of its Rural School Bus Programme vehicles was involved in a fire incident in Manchester. At 1:20 p.m., the bus, which had completed its scheduled student transportation route in Cross Keys, Manchester, was returning to its base in Plowden when the driver observed that the engine had caught fire. The operator immediately stopped the vehicle and attempted to extinguish the fire using the onboard fire extinguisher. When those efforts proved unsuccessful, the Jamaica Fire Brigade was contacted for assistance. The JUTC noted that no students or passengers were on board the bus at the time of the incident. The driver was not injured.
The JUTC said that the affected vehicle sustained damage as a result of the fire. The cause of the incident is currently unknown. The State-run bus company said it remains committed to the safety of its passengers, employees, and the wider public, and assured that it conducts routine inspections and maintenance of its fleet. The company said it will continue to review all findings arising from this incident to determine any necessary corrective actions.