Travel bus en route to Amish wedding catches fire near Pennsdale; all on board are safe
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PENNSDALE – The driver and all 55 Amish en route to a New York State wedding safely got off a travel bus moments after it caught fire on the Lycoming Mall Road off-ramp of Interstate 180 West about 4 a.m. Thursday, according to Muncy Fire Chief Scott Oldweiler.
“The driver knew something was wrong so he exited on to the off-ramp. He wasn’t sure at first if it was a flat tire or what it was, but then he smelled smoke,” Oldweiler said.
“The brakes were on fire, and it quickly spread to the rear tires,” he said.
Attempts to put out the fire with portable extinguishers were unsuccessful, Oldweiler said.
When Muncy Township firefighters arrived, the entire bus was engulfed in flames, he said. The bulk of the fire was knocked down in about 30 minutes, Oldweiler added.
A large emergency triage vehicle from UPMC Williamsport responded and served as a temporary shelter for the passengers until a second bus arrived and took them to their destination, Oldweiler said.