A frightening scene unfolded Tuesday when a New Jersey Transit bus caught fire after hitting a pothole.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The bus reportedly struck the pothole. It caused a tire to blow out. The vehicle was quickly engulfed in flames. Passengers were forced to evacuate as the situation escalated within moments.
The incident occurred near Newark Liberty International Airport, where video footage captured the bus completely consumed by flames before emergency crews arrived.
New Jersey Bus Erupts in Flames After Pothole Causes Blowout
According to ABC7 NY, passengers rushed to the front of the bus to alert the driver.
The driver quickly pulled over and opened the doors, allowing passengers to escape the burning bus.
In total, "about 25 to 30 passengers had to safely navigate traffic to avoid the burning bus."
The Newark Fire Department responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. Stranded passengers were later transported on another bus.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey warned commuters to expect delays in the northern tube of the Lincoln Tunnel heading toward New Jersey due to the incident.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The outcome could have been far worse.
"The incident is under investigation by the New Jersey State Police. Which could not be reached for comment Tuesday night," NJ.com's Chris Sheldon wrote.
Separate Topsoil Spill Causes Traffic Headaches in Morris County
Elsewhere in New Jersey on Tuesday, a separate roadway incident caused disruption for morning commuters in Morris County.
A spill from a dump truck left what officials described as "several flat tires and quite the mess."
The incident occurred shortly after 7 a.m., when state police responded to reports of a Kenworth dump truck spilling topsoil across the highway.
Authorities arrived to find multiple vehicles with flat tires and also significant traffic buildup along the roadway.
"New Jersey Fast Traffic's Bob Williams said his producers counted 13 vehicles pulled over to the shoulder near Exit 30 for Howard Boulevard," New Jersey 101.5's Dan Alexander stated.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation later announced that the spill had been cleared and all lanes reopened by around 9 a.m., limiting the disruption to a temporary inconvenience.
Topsoil is the uppermost layer of soil, typically a few inches deep, where most plant roots grow.
However, the soil can sometimes contain hidden rocks, metal fragments and other sharp materials that can damage tires if spilled onto roadways.
