For More Information Contact:
Ted Burton, Public Relations Manager 389-7550
Web site: www.capmetro.org
Quick thinking by a Capital Metro Bus Driver helped avoid a serious
situation Tuesday morning when the vehicle she was driving caught fire.
“I smelled smoke and told everyone to get off the bus,” said Glenda
Guy, Capital Metro Bus Operator. “Then I got them away from the bus so that
nothing would happen.”
Guy was driving route #8 Govalle, heading north on Pleasant Valley
Road near South Lakeshore Blvd., when she smelled smoke coming from the
engine. Guy immediately pulled off the
road, evacuated the passengers, notified dispatch, then went around to the back
of the bus to see what was burning.
“Smoke was coming from the engine so I didn’t dare open the lid,”
said Guy. The fire was contained to the
engine compartment and never entered the passenger area.
Bob Burns with Capital Metro’s Fixed Route Services was one of the
first on the scene. When he arrived,
flames were shooting from the back of the bus.
Burns said Guy did exactly what she needed to do. “Operators are trained to get the
passengers off the bus right away,” said Burns. “And then she went around and
made sure everyone was o.k.”
Guy noticed the problem just after ten this morning. Nine passengers were on the bus including
three children. No one was injured
during the evacuation.
Two trucks from the Austin Fire Department responded to the
emergency and quickly put out the fire.
Passengers transferred to another bus after a short delay. The cause of the fire is under
investigation.
All Capital Metro buses are equipped with fire
extinquishers and fire detection/suppression systems. The fire detection/suppression system is temperature activated
and immediately releases a chemical to put out the fire.