Investigation launched into fire on rural school bus in Manchester

July 29, 2026

An Investigation has been launched to determine what caused a fire on a rural school bus in Manchester this afternoon.

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) says one of its rural school bus programme vehicles was involved in a fire incident.

Its reported that about 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 JUTC says 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 affected vehicle sustained damage as a result of the fire.

The bus company says no student or passenger was on board the bus at the time of the incident, as the vehicle had already completed its afternoon trip and was returning to base.

The driver was not injured.

JUTC says the cause of the incident is unknown and will be the subject of a full investigation by the relevant authorities in collaboration with the JUTC’s technical team.

The company states that it conducts routine inspections and maintenance of its fleet and will continue to review all findings arising from this incident to determine any necessary corrective action.

The JUTC says it remains committed to the safety of its passengers, employees, and the wider public.