‘I saw the flames through the bedroom window’: IQRA College driver tells of the suspicious blaze which tore through his bus

The driver has told of how he sprung to action to extinguish the fire that ravaged an Islamic school’s bus in Adelaide’s south.

The driver of a school bus has revealed how he jumped out of bed about midnight overnight after he heard a loud bang and rushed to put out the flames engulfing his vehicle.

An police investigation has been launched into a suspicious school bus fire at Reynella just before midnight on Sunday.

Police and Metropolitan Fire Service crews were called to Matheson Rd after reports a school bus, that was parked in the street, was ablaze.

Fire crews extinguished the flames but it was extensively damaged. There was no one on board the bus at the time.

An investigation has been launched into a suspicious school bus fire in Adelaide’s southern suburbs overnight. Picture: 7NEWS Adelaide

Police believe the fire was deliberately lit. Picture: 7NEWS Adelaide

Crime Scene investigators examined the vehicle and believe the fire was deliberately lit.

The bus belonged to IQRA College, an Islamic school at O’Halloran Hill.

Bus Driver Errol Koch, 67, told The Advertiser he was woken by a loud bang about 11.45pm on Sunday night and raced outside.

“I heard a tyre blow and that woke me up,” said Mr Koch, who is semi-retired.

“I saw the flames through the bedroom window, I got my clothes on and I went out and got the garden hose.”

His 34-year-old son and a neighbour also helped battle the blaze, which Mr Koch said caused “a lot of damage”.

The trio subdued the fire within five minutes.

“I think it’s just stupidity,” Mr Koch said.

A spokesman for IQRA said the situation “is a shock” and the school is considering upping their security following the blaze.

“This is making us reassess our operations and put in place more measures for security of our children,” the spokesman said.

“We are in contact with the driver constantly and made sure his wellbeing is catered for.”

While the he said he does not believe it was a targeted attack against the school, they “are not ruling it out”.

“It has impacted our bus runs, and our students during the exam week with some students arriving late to school,” he said.

“We are working with the police to finalise their investigation.”

Imam Kamran Tahir of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the Mehmood Mosque, the largest in Adelaide, said setting the bus alight is “absolutely wrong”.

“One would assume there is an element of Islamophobia keeping in mind the current state of the world,” Imam Tahir said.

The wrecked bus is towed away. Picture: 7NEWS Adelaide

Police comb the area for clues. Picture: 7NEWS Adelaide

“Setting alight a bus, let alone a bus for the transport of children is absolutely wrong.

“God forbid if there were any children in there.”

Imam Tahir said he would ask his community to offer support to the school.

Police are appealing for anyone who may have information regarding the incident to come forward.

The fire comes a month after another school bus was damaged in Adelaide’s south – this time by a huge tree branch.

The huge limb fell on the bus parked at Wirreanda Secondary School in Morphett Vale. Luckily, no one was on board when the tree branch snapped.