Massachusetts Turnpike bus explosion caught on camera, no injuries reported

NEWTON, Mass., May 12 (UPI) -- Authorities in the Boston area said all passengers were safely evacuated from a bus before it exploded at the side of the Massachusetts Turnpike.

The bus departed New York City about 11 a.m. Monday and spent about two hours undergoing repairs in Connecticut before continuing on the road, but passengers started to smell smoke about 4:45 p.m. in Newton, minutes away from the bus' final destination in Boston.

"A car that was in front of us, a man gets out and starts screaming, 'you're on fire, you're on fire.' So we're all on the bus and starting to panic," passenger Madeline Halimi told cable network NECN.

The bus pulled to the side of the Massachusetts Turnpike and the 46 passengers evacuated the vehicle just before an explosion, which was caught on camera.

There were no injuries from the blast and a replacement bus was sent to pick up the passengers.

The state Fire Marshal's Office and Massachusetts State Police said the cause of the fire and ensuing explosion is under investigation.

BoltBus driver Nora Pacheco said the work being performed on the bus in Connecticut was related to overheating.

"I tried to make it to South Station but it was impossible," she said.