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NSW high school students' lucky escape as bus bursts into flames

Nearly two dozen high school students in NSW have had a lucky escape after their bus suddenly burst into flames.

The group from Kiama High School was travelling to Sydney on Appin Road around 9am on Thursday when the incident happened.

The school bus was quickly engulfed in flames. Photo: 7 News
The school bus was quickly engulfed in flames. Photo: 7 News

Video shows fire engulfing the bus, with flames licking the branches of nearby gum trees, just minutes after 23 students had been on board.

Their teacher Kimberley Cutting said, “We heard a loud bang on the bus and just assumed it was a tyre pop”.

When the students smelled smoke, their two teachers went to investigate.

“They came running back and got us all off and mostly everyone got their stuff off,” Eliza Skorulis told 7 News.

The group was on an overnight geography excursion. Three students’ bags were destroyed in the fire but luckily no-one was injured.

They continued on their journey to Sydney when a replacement bus arrived.

Just a shell of the bus was left and it took two and a half hours before the burnt out wreck could be towed away and an investigation could begin.

The bus was destroyed by the flames. Photo: 7 News
The bus was destroyed by the flames. Photo: 7 News


Ben Shepherd from the Rural Fire Service said the location made things difficult for firefighters.

“A fair amount of foam and water had to be used and there was a problem in that area with water supply so we've actually had to ferry water back and forth,"he said.

The driver has been praised for his actions.

“He was so quick to respond, he basically was like ‘get off straight away’,”Ms Cutting said.

The bus is owned by Nowra company Premier Motor Service, which refused to comment on the cause of the fire.