Passengers and driver flee burning Greyhound bus on I-71 in Cleveland

What began as a routine Greyhound ride turned terrifying Wednesday on Interstate 71 South in Cleveland. Around noon, 25 passengers and the driver scrambled off a bus that had caught fire along the highway.

Passenger Christopher Davis, traveling from Louisville back home to Akron, said a rear tire blew out near downtown Cleveland. The driver kept going for a while, but once the wobbling got worse, she pulled over and discovered the wheel was on fire. “We just start seeing flames and smoke shoot from everywhere,” Davis said.

Another passenger, Edward Blackford of Canton, said everyone stayed as calm as possible while getting out quickly. He and a woman were checked at the scene, and nobody appeared to be seriously hurt.

Cleveland Fire Lt. Mike Norman said crews worked fast to extinguish the blaze, but flames had been hitting the bridge, so the highway stayed closed while engineers checked whether it was safe. Traffic backed up for miles, and ODOT reopened the road around 3 p.m.

A Greyhound spokesperson said the driver’s professionalism and quick actions helped keep passengers safe. Passengers said they were relieved to escape with their luggage intact. Davis also credited the driver with making sure everyone got off the bus, including carrying a man who used a wheelchair on her back.