Fast response by firefighters and police is credited with averting a tragedy and potential injury or loss of life after a bus burst into flames Friday afternoon on busy US209 in Tamaqua.

Police, firefighters and emergency responders were summoned to the corner of West Broad and Swatara streets at 2:05 p.m. for what Schuylkill Communications Center dispatchers reported as "a bus fully involved."Schuylkill Transportation System bus driver Thomas Stancofsky told police he had pulled into the front of the Episcopal Church for routine pick-up at the headquarters of the Tamaqua Adult Day Care Center located in the basement level of the stone building when the bus burst into flames which then spread fast. Stancofsky was able to safely exit the vehicle.Heavy smoke poured from the bus and explosions were heard as windows began popping in the extreme heat. With outdoor temperatures hovering around 86 degrees, the heat was intense at the scene in the busy downtown.Donna Plasko, Tamaqua, was on the job in the office of St. Jerome's Church Rectory, a building occupying the corner of West Broad and Swatara streets, when she happened to walk by a window and saw smoke billowing up near the traffic light. She quickly realized what was happening."In the beginning, it looked like the driver tried to extinguish the fire by himself," said Plasko.Tamaqua Police Chief Dave Mattson was first on the scene and rushed to the door of the day care center to intercept anyone leaving and to keep the staff and clients safely inside the building. Many elderly and disabled clients would have been exiting the building to enter the bus at that moment.The flames lept high and "there was a lot of smoke," said Mattson, who credited firefighters with not only an immediate response, but with knocking down the flames within moments.That description was echoed by Tamaqua Fire Policeman Herb Curvey, who was just one block away at the corner of West Broad and Lehigh streets when the explosion took place."He (Mattson) was here when I arrived," said Curvey. "At first there was a lot of dark smoke. I was afraid the whole thing was going to blow up. Then firefighters started putting water on it and the smoke turned white."U. S. Route 209 was closed as firefighters quelled the blaze. Tamaqua fire police redirected traffic through the wards.Heavy Friday afternoon traffic caused complications when a series of trucks and semis tried to travel around the scene by climbing Lehigh Street through the North Ward and found themselves unable to negotiate a turn onto Lafayette Street.All four Tamaqua fire companies responded to the blaze and the investigation is continuing.