Special to Iredell Free News

An Iredell-Statesville Schools bus caught fire Monday afternoon after the last students were dropped off.

Bus 168 from Cloverleaf Elementary School caught fire on Jane Sowers Road at approximately 3:52 p.m. The school bus is a 72-passenger 2011 IC MaxxForce 7.

The bus was last inspected on May 9.

The route was complete and there were no students on the bus, I-SS officials said. The driver and bus monitor noticed smoke coming from the engine and the driver pulled over as the fire ignited. The driver tried to use the fire extinguisher but was not successful in reducing the flames.

“We are very fortunate that there were no children on this school bus,” district spokesperson Boen Nutting said. “The bus was quickly engulfed in flames. The N.C. Department of Public Instruction state inspector is en route to Statesville now to inspect the bus.”