thedailytimes.com : Your 24/7 news source

A Blount County school bus caught fire Thursday while returning 68 children to Eagleton Elementary School after a field trip, and a Blount County deputy and an unidentified good Samaritan possibly prevented a tragedy.

The incident started when an oil line burst and spilled its contents onto the bus engine, said Stan Burnette, transportation supervisor for Blount County Schools.

He went to Eagleton Elementary School and spoke with two eyewitnesses about what happened. Burnette was told that black smoke had gone into the bus, but there were no flames, he said.

One female child, who was seated in the back of the bus near the engine compartment, was treated for smoke inhalation and transported by Rural/Metro Ambulance Service to Blount Memorial Hospital.

A part-time Friends employee who accompanied the children on the trip complained of a headache but refused treatment, Alcoa Fire Chief Roger Robinson said.

The names of those involved or the destination of the Friends Program field trip were not immediately available.

The fire was reported at 12:37 p.m. on Old Knoxville Highway near the Pellissippi Parkway entrance.

Fire officials said a construction worker, who was driving by, saw flames coming from the engine compartment at the rear of the bus. The man jumped out of his pickup and put out the fire with his fire extinguisher.

After putting out the fire, the man got back into his truck and drove from the scene.

Fire authorities did not know the identity of the man but said he probably helped to save a lot of lives.

According to fire department authorities, a Blount County deputy who was in the area, Sgt. Eric Perrin, assisted in getting the children off the bus.

The bus was owned by Rocky Top Tours and they will be handling all the repairs, Burnette said.