A Friday afternoon school bus fire has been ruled accidental.
According to authorities, Friday at approximately 2:41 am, Patrolman John Minor of Toms River Police Department was on patrol on Industrial Way North and noticed smoke coming from the area of Industrial Way South.
Ptl. Minor found the smoke was emanating from school buses on fire at 2301 Industrial Way South, Toms River Regional School Transportation Center.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Unit, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Investigations Unit, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office K-9 Unit, Toms River Bureau of Fire Safety, and the Toms River Police Department conducted the investigation into the origin and cause of the fire.
The partnering agencies concluded that the fire originated in the engine compartment of bus #240 and spread to two other school buses parked nearby.
The cause of the fire and subsequent damage to the three buses is deemed accidental.