A charter bus carrying 15 high school students and two adults from North Carolina to Nashville to tour Vanderbilt University had an unexpected stop in Cumberland County near Crab Orchard around noon today (Monday, May 22, 2017). The bus experienced a engine malfunction and caught on fire at the 333 mile marker westbound on Interstate 40. Cumberland County Fire Department Assistant Chief John Hall told 105.7 News that the charter bus was a total loss. The students and adults on board got off immediately after the bus came to a stop and got a safe distance from it. As fire crews arrived to battle the blaze, a school bus from Cumberland County School System was dispatched to take the traveling students and adults to Stone Memorial High School in Crossville to await another charter bus so they could continue their journey. No injuries were reported in the incident. Westbound traffic on Interstate 40 in Cumberland County was backed up all the way past the Westel Road exit at one point. According to Tn Smartway, the estimated time of cleanup is 10 p.m. this evening. Traffic will remain slow near and at the scene and could be momentarily closed down again when the bus starts to get towed away.

Picture in story showing backup on I-40 courtesy of Cliff Segar