Fire officials said that nine people were hurt when a bus for passengers in wheelchairs caught fire Wednesday morning in East Harlem.
The bus caught fire at East 106th Street and Park Avenue at about 11 a.m., according to the FDNY. It's not clear what sparked the blaze.
Four passengers in wheelchairs, four other passengers and a driver were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with minor injuries. All were treated and released.
The bus transports people to the Shields Institute, an adult rehabilitation center, said Peter Silverman, an attorney representing the Consolidated Bus Transit, which operates the service.
On Wednesday morning, the driver turned off the engine and smelled smoke. He grabbed a fire extinguisher and attacked the fire in the engine compartment, but was unable to put it out, Silverman said.
The driver then helped people off the bus.
Firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. One passenger in a wheelchair was taken off the bus by a firefighter.
Local
Photos from the scene show the engine compartment of the yellow bus with extensive fire damage. The hood of the vehicle is flipped off onto the ground.
