Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

WARWICK, R.I. -- Passengers from Wickford had to change buses on the side of Route 95 Friday morning when the RIPTA bus they were riding toward Providence blew its transmission and started to smoke.

Warwick firefighters responding to a report of a bus fire on Route 95 near New England Tech reached the vehicle at exit 14B, the interchange for Route 37.

Warwick Fire Chief Kevin Sullivan said the call came in at 7:44 a.m. and three companies responded. They found no fire, only smoke.

"They only stayed on the scene 10 minutes," he said.

A travel lane was blocked while all precautions were taken, and the R.I. Department of Transportation Traffic Management Center reported the lane reopened by 8:39 a.m.

No one on the No. 14 express bus from Wickford was injured, said Henry S. Kinch, deputy general manager of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, and the 20 or so passengers waited about 20 minutes to board another bus sent from the RIPTA garage.

A bus is kept on standby at Kennedy Plaza and the garage, Kinch said. Although a disabled bus on the side of Route 95 was once a common sight, "Our maintenance crew has improved dramatically over the years," Kinch said.

 Tags  North Kingstown RI RIPTA Warwick RI

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