PALM BAY, Fla. — Officials say 41 students were able to escape a school bus gutted by fire Tuesday afternoon in Palm Bay. 

The bus was coming from Imagine School and principal Brian DeGonzague said it was around 3:30 p.m. when the driver noticed smoking coming from the front of the vehicle.

Working on a gut feeling, the driver said she decided to pull over and evacuate the 41 students on board, DeGonzague said.

It wasn't until after the bus was evacuated that the fire started in earnest, he said.

DeGonzague commended the older students on the bus who "showed great character" by helping the younger kids stay calm while crossing the road.

He said buses used by Imagine School — which has an enrollment of about 530 — were acquired within the past five years. Each vehicle is inspected daily for basic safety and functionality, and undergoes more thorough monthly and quarterly inspections, DeGonzague said.

While fire officials have not officially determined a cause for the fire, DeGonzague said the school's bus mechanic believes it may have been electrical in nature.

No injuries were reported in connection with the fire.