MBTA Bus Catches Fire Downtown [PHOTOS]

A Mass. Bay Transportation Authority bus caught fire Friday evening as it was passing through Downtown Peabody.

The initially received a call shortly before 7 p.m. and responded to the area of 197 Washington St. with Engine 1 to see flames engulfing the side of the bus, according to scanner reports.

Engine 5 was also called to the scene along with Car 2 and within minutes, the blaze was extinguished with foam spray. Multiple police cruisers and officers blocked off the street while firefighters worked on the bus.

WCVB-TV reports that passengers aboard the bus had smelled smoke and alerted the driver, who then evacuated everyone safely from the bus and went to work with a fire extinguisher.

According to scanner reports, there was initially a report of a possible engine explosion before the fire, but further details on that were not immediately available Friday night.

And to top the evening off, approximately 30 minutes after the flames were knocked down, an erratic driver in a black BMW nearly clipped two police officers at the scene.

The officers chased the suspect, catching the car near 113 Washington St. and arresting the person for driving under the influence of alcohol, according to scanner reports.

Further charges and the person's identity were not immediately available.