WILLISTON, Vt. — A school bus was destroyed by fire Wednesday evening while being hauled on a flatbed tractor-trailer parked at a rest area along Interstate 89.

The Williston Fire Department responded to reports of a vehicle fire at approximately 5:05 p.m. on February 18, 2026, at the Williston rest area off northbound I-89.

According to fire officials, the school bus was being transported northbound on the flatbed tractor-trailer when the driver pulled into the rest stop. The driver exited the truck briefly, and upon returning discovered the bus engulfed in flames.

Authorities said the fire appeared to have started in the engine compartment of the bus and quickly spread through the front portion of the passenger area. Fire crews extinguished the blaze within five minutes.

The bus was empty at the time of the fire, and the tractor-trailer driver was the only person on scene. No injuries were reported.

The bus was being transported from Pelham, New Hampshire, and was owned by the Triton Regional School District, which serves coastal communities in Massachusetts. Officials said the bus has been deemed a total loss.

Vermont State Police also responded to the scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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