School bus catches fire, explodes after dropping off kids — VIDEO

MIDDLETOWN — A school bus caught fire as it pulled up to let off students Thursday morning.

Middletown schools Superintendent Bill George told the Patch of Middletown that students were exiting the bus at Middletown High School North when they smelled smoke.

The smoke developed into a fire in the front that engulfed the entire bus, according to photos of the incident.

A video shows a small explosion on the bus.

George told the Patch that the fire appears to have been caused by a mechanical failure.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ