School bus erupts in flames in Irvine; no injuries reported

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- A school bus carrying 36 water polo athletes overheated and erupted in flames on the northbound 5 Freeway in Irvine Wednesday, Orange County Fire Authority officials said.

The school bus lost horse power, overheated and began to smoke, prompting the bus driver to pull over to the right shoulder of the freeway near the Jeffrey Road exit at 6:45 p.m.

The athletes, plus their coach and the driver, had already evacuated the bus when it became heavily covered in smoke and fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The students from the Tustin Unified School District were coming from a match at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo. No injuries were reported.