Heroic Bus Driver's Quick Thinking Saves 15 Kids When Bus Suddenly Erupts in Flames
An Ohio school bus driver is being praised after no students were injured after a school bus fire erupted.
“There was a school bus fire this morning at the corner of Cambridge & Northhampton. The bus driver acted quickly and got all of the students off the bus and to safety,” the Cleveland Heights Fire Department posted on Facebook.
“The bus had been heading to Monticello Middle School. Students were picked up by another district vehicle and transported to school. There were no injuries and the fire was quickly brought under control by the Cleveland Heights Fire Department,” the post said.
BREAKING NEWS: A school bus driver “acted quickly” and was able to get all students to safety after the bus caught fire Thursday morning.
STORY: https://t.co/xWg83lzYGJ pic.twitter.com/kb1mmHW9JW
— Cleveland 19 News (@cleveland19news) February 27, 2025
“First and foremost, I can’t express how relieved I am that no one was hurt, and I am incredibly grateful for the quick response from the driver,” Superintendent Liz Kirby posted on the Cleveland Heights School District’s website.
“I spoke with the driver today, and they credited the annual bus evacuation drills that drivers do with students with preparing them,” she wrote, adding that the driver did not want to be named.
“I also must credit the students for reacting so calmly and following the driver’s instructions to get to safety,” she wrote.
A school bus fire erupted this morning in Cleveland Heights while transporting students to Monticello Middle School. Fortunately, everyone was safely evacuated. The cause is under investigation.
Details here: https://t.co/2g2FOktOIk#ClevelandHeights #SchoolBusFire… pic.twitter.com/XGYp3kvu19
— Cleveland 13 News (WCTU) (@cleveland13news) February 27, 2025
She said the bus had 15 middle school students on board at the time of the fire.
Another bus driver in the area stopped at the fire scene and drove the students to school.
The bus that became an inferno had recently passed inspection, Kirby wrote.
“We are investigating the cause of the fire in partnership with the Cleveland Heights Fire Department and the state highway patrol, and we will share information when it becomes available,” she wrote.
“Although bus 21 passed its annual mandated state inspection that just took place on February 14, 2025, our mechanic teams have re-inspected all buses in our fleet today out of an abundance of caution,” she wrote.
This Cleveland Heights bus was carrying 15 students when officials say a fire started behind a rear wheel. @CHUHSchools confirms everyone got out safely. Cause still unknown.
An Ohio State Highway Patrol report shows this bus just passed its annual inspection Feb. 14 @wkyc pic.twitter.com/E1pCa7CERQ
— Annabelle Childers (@AnnabChilders) February 27, 2025
Maureen Ottman, who lives near the place where the bus caught fire, said she heard the explosion before the fire.
“Heard a big boom. Looked out the window and I saw flames coming from the gas tank,” said, according to WKYC-TV.
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