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Leeds pupils taken to hospital after bus blaze
Five Leeds children on a school trip were taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation after the engine of the bus they were on burst into flames.
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The youngsters were among around 55 pupils from Alwoodley Primary School, Leeds, who were forced to evacuate the vehicle at the side of two busy motorways.
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They were taken to St James's Hospital for treatment after the incident, which occurred just before 10am today
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The students, aged 10 and 11, and eight adults, were on the double decker bus travelling on the M621 out of Leeds towards the National Coal Mining Museum in Overton, Wakefield, when problems started with the vehicle.
Ossett watch manager Alan Smirthwaite said the driver of the bus had extinguished the fire before crews arrived but smoke had already filtered through into the passenger area when the children were on board.
He said: "They were only 10 years old and they were a bit panicky."
He added: "There was a fault with the engine and it caused a small fire in the engine compartment, which then let some smoke through into the bus's passenger compartment."
He said crews administered oxygen to four of the children and were just about to start on the fifth when paramedics arrived and took them to hospital.
Watch manager Smirthwaite said all the passengers had to get off the vehicle and stand on the grass verge where the M621 meets the M1 between junctions 43 and 42 of the M1.
He said: "I think some were enjoying it and some were a little bit scared."
Watch manager Smirthwaite said the Horsforth transport firm had sent a
replacement bus to collect the unlucky passengers and return them to school.
Firefighters from Morley, Wakefield and Leeds were also called to the incident.
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
