All Students Safe After Charter Bus Fire Breaks Out Following Field Trip at Patrick Space Force Base
A chartered bus carrying 5th grade students from Apollo Elementary School caught fire while returning from a field trip at Patrick Space Force Base on Wednesday.
All students and staff on board were immediately evacuated, and no injuries have been reported.
The incident occurred as the students were en route back to Apollo Elementary.
BPS said in a statement, “Thanks to the swift actions of the bus driver and chaperones, all passengers were safely removed from the vehicle before the fire could pose any further risk.
Brevard Public Schools dispatched district buses to transport the students back to Apollo Elementary, where parents picked them up as scheduled.
School officials have assured families that all necessary precautions were taken to ensure student safety, and everyone is accounted for.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
Following Trump push, launch of NASA's Crew-10 and return of Starliner astronauts moved up
After mounting pressure from President Trump and his key ally Elon Musk, NASA has moved the launch of Crew-10 up a few weeks earlier than planned in a bid to return the Starliner astronauts home as soon as possible. They are now targeting March 12.
This will expedite the return of Crew-9 and the Starliner astronauts, who were supposed to fly home in early April following the late-March launch of Crew-10. Ultimately, this means a few fewer weeks on the orbiting outpost for the two-person Starliner crew who have been in space since June.
Their return will not be on the spacecraft originally intended. With SpaceX running into delays with the Dragon spacecraft that was scheduled to fly Crew-10, the crew will now fly on Crew Dragon Endurance − which was originally set to fly the Axiom 4 crew this spring.
NASA does not have its own spacecraft to ferry astronauts to the space station. SpaceX is currently the only American private company contracted by NASA which can ferry astronauts to the orbiting outpost.
NASA has not provided an exact target return date, but it depends on the launch of Crew-10 and weather conditions at the splashdown location, which will be off the coast of Florida.
Former Area 142 gets a makeover and new concept in Cocoa Beach: Restaurant coming soon
Cocoa Beach will welcome a new restaurant this spring, Dirty Birds Tiki Bar & Grill -- coming to the spot that previouslyhoused Area 142.
Restauranteur Daniel Todd is currently renovating the space at 142 Minutemen Cswy., and said he's planning great food and fun vibes for the location. The owner of 4th Street Fillin Station and The Alibi Kitchen & Cocktails said the restaurant will feature a laid-back tiki atmosphere.
While an opening date, full menu and hours have yet to be determined, the owners said the new spot will have a one-of-a-kind menu, focusing on fresh and tropical flavors, as well as island-inspired craft cocktails.
The space will provide ample room for casual get-togethers, relaxing outdoor evening drinks and an array of late-night bites, with an island vibe and tiki aesthetics.
Two Melbourne women recovering from shark bites they got in the Bahamas
Two Melbourne women are recovering from shark bites they received while vacationing in the Bahamas.
The two had just jumped off a boat into the waters in Bimini Bay on Friday about 6:30 p.m. when the shark encounter happened. The women were treated at a local clinic for bites to their legs and then airlifted to New Providence for further treatment, according to Bahamian authorities.
Unprovoked shark attacks increased in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File, a scientific database of global shark attacks.
There were 69 unprovoked bites in 2023. That included 10 fatalities: two in the United States; four in Australia; and one each in the Bahamas, Egypt, Mexico and New Caledonia.
More: FloridaToday.com