Perry Co. school bus destroyed by fire, no students injured

PERRY COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - A Perry County school bus was engulfed in flames Thursday afternoon.

According to Perry County School District Superintendent Dr. Gregory Scott Dearman, around 10 - 15 students were present when the bus caught on fire. Everyone was able to exit the bus safely, and no injuries were reported.

The bus, which was about six years old, was destroyed. The school district used a spare bus on Friday.

Dearman said the fire appeared to have started around the back brakes. The school district is still investigating the cause of the fire.

“The main thing was that everyone was safe,” Dearman said.

Cindy Stogner said the school bus caught on fire shortly after stopping at her daughter’s, Courtney Byrd, house on Ward Drive near Runnelstown.

Stogner said Byrd noticed a crackling noise after her daughter, Stogner’s granddaughter, got out of the bus. Byrd then saw that the bus was on fire.

Byrd and the school bus driver, Jennifer DeVibiss, were able to get all of the children off the bus before it was fully engulfed, Stogner said.

Byrd said the bus was completely engulfed in flames within seven minutes.

The Perry County Sheriff’s Department arrived on the scene, along with Perry County volunteer fire departments to put out the fire.

Dearman said the school district may purchase a new bus or two if needed.

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