![megabus](https://uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/megabus.jpg?quality=80)
Passengers on a Megabus received more excitement than they bargained for on Sunday. The notoriously cheap transport line added value to their $1 rides when one of their buses caught on fire and exploded on a highway outside of Chicago. Documented by the New York Times‘ Frugal Traveler Lucas Peterson, who was on the bus when the drama began, the situation is equal parts insane and incredibly scary. Shortly after the bus’ departure, the group had to turn around to get a new bus because there was a problem with the original vehicle.
Then, complete craziness happened. Based on to Peterson’s tweets, one bad thing after another happened within minutes.
Update: the bus is on fire. pic.twitter.com/alvXtoHbwL
— The Frugal Traveler (@frugaltraveler) February 21, 2016
Update: the bus exploded. pic.twitter.com/Sd0rBYN714
— The Frugal Traveler (@frugaltraveler) February 21, 2016
Emergency services here now pic.twitter.com/40BDWMM1q5
— The Frugal Traveler (@frugaltraveler) February 21, 2016
Fortunately, no one was injured or killed in the accident. If it weren’t for the quick action of the passengers it could have been much worse.
Driver says it's just a flat tire, that there's no need to panic, and goes outside. Minutes later smoke starts pouring out of the bus.
— The Frugal Traveler (@frugaltraveler) February 21, 2016
Someone on the top deck eventually says: "we should get off of this bus." So we all get out. People trying to get their luggage. Small fire.
— The Frugal Traveler (@frugaltraveler) February 21, 2016
Small fire over wheel becomes big; people abandon luggage and get away. Entire thing goes up in flames, series of loud booms.
— The Frugal Traveler (@frugaltraveler) February 21, 2016
What's left of the bus. pic.twitter.com/9nCdhHINLf
— The Frugal Traveler (@frugaltraveler) February 21, 2016
All of the luggage on board was incinerated and multiple passengers lost many if not all of their worldly possessions in the flames. NBC Chicago has the details:
Just after 12 p.m., Lake Forest Fire received a call for a coach bus on fire on the southbound lane of Route 41 between Route 176 and the Lake Forest Hospital entrance, according to investigators. The first crews to arrive reported that the bus was fully engulfed in flames and that all passengers and the driver were off the bus.
After all of that, the kicker is that everyone involved had to get right back on yet another Megabus to complete their trip. Talk about adding insult to injury.
The kicker: officer says "they're sending another Megabus to pick you guys up." 😐
— The Frugal Traveler (@frugaltraveler) February 21, 2016
(via NBC 5 Chicago)