Update: State Inspectors Investigating School Bus Fire

CHARLOTTE, NC — The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is sending an inspector to Charlotte Monday to check out the bus that caught on fire Thursday.

Cell phone video shows the bus in flames as 16 South Mecklenburg High School students escaped.

“The bus the windows were cracking because of the fire so it was a really scary feeling,” said Alessandra Gutierrez.

Gutierrez was standing at the bust stop at the Country Club Apartments on Dunlavin Way Thursday and ended up in the hospital.

“I inhaled too much smoke,” said Gutierrez. “So, that’s what made me feel really dizzy, really nauseous made me want to faint.”

The NC DPI says it will inspect the charred bus and inform other school systems if there is a common issue that could put your kids in danger.

“A lot of parents, they were really scared, and they didn’t even want to put the kids on the bus the next day,” said Edilma Luna.

Luna is a mother of a child at CMS and wants Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to train children for this.

“If they cannot prepare, like forecast, the accidents coming, at least they can prepare the kids, and they can do like the fire drills on the bus. They can prepare the kids how to react,” said Luna.

The NC DPI says state policy requires schools to give students emergency bus evacuation training every semester.

“We only have fire drills at school you know I feel like a bus routine would be good,” said Gutierrez.

WCCB Charlotte e-mailed and called CMS to get more information on how and when students are taught bus evacuation skills.

The bus inspection report says the district inspects buses every 30 days.

Maintenance checked this bus Oct. 6, and nothing showed a fire risk.

“It’s a really scary feeling,you know?” said Gutierrez. “You never know what could happen next with any other bus.”

The NCDPI and CMS are investigating the fire along with the Charlotte Fire Department.

CMS will release the results.