Published October 15 2015
At 6:42 a.m. on Wednesday, a passenger called 911 about a Sound Transit bus on fire. That passenger happened to be Bellevue fire inspector Hugo Sotelo. An abrupt noise had come from the rear of the bus as it was going north on Interstate 405, near Interstate 90.
The driver pulled the bus onto the shoulder and saw flames coming from a rear wheel well. Hugo simultaneously gave pertinent information to 911 dispatchers, assisted in evacuating the bus and maintained a safe zone for approximately two dozen passengers.
Engine 9, Light Force 7 and Aid 2 arrived seven minutes after the initial call. The rear of the bus was ablaze when they arrived, with flames extending laterally approximately six feet. Firefighters aggressively extinguished the fire and conducted a detailed search throughout the bus.
All passengers were accounted for and transported the remainder of the route by another Sound Transit bus. There were no injuries to passengers or firefighters. Seattle Times account