ON THE MORNING OF MAY 12, 2011 NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SCHOOL BUS LOCATED IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY A FIRE THAT ORIGINATED IN THE REAR BULKHEAD AREA OF THE BUS THAT HOUSES A CARRIER AIR CONDITIONER AND ADDITIONAL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THE BUS WAS ON ITS ROUTE PICKING UP CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL WHEN THE CHILDREN BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE AND NOTIFIED THE DRIVER. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE BUS AND EVACUATED THE CHILDREN JUST MOMENTS BEFORE FIRE WAS SEEN IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE BUS IN THE REAR BULKHEAD AREA. THE SCHOOL PERSONNEL REPORTING TO THE SCENE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY FROM THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRST ON THE BUS WHICH WAS ALREADY HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH FLAMES WHEN HE ARRIVED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE BLAZE HOWEVER THE BUS WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY THIS TIME. THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE BUS WAS DESTROYED FROM THE FLOOR LEVEL TO THE ROOF AND ONTO THE HOOD COVERING THE ENGINE. THERE WERE 39 CHILDREN ON THE BUS PLUS THE DRIVER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE BUS IS CURRENTLY ISOLATED FOR INVESTIGATION. *TR