Courageous driver evacuates students moments before flames engulf vehicle
Cleveland Heights, Ohio – A school bus driver in Ohio is being praised for quick thinking and bravery after safely evacuating over a dozen students moments before their vehicle was engulfed in flames on Thursday morning.
Swift action averts tragedy
Liz Kirby, superintendent of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District, confirmed that the bus was transporting 15 students to Monticello Middle School when a fire broke out near one of the vehicle’s rear wheels.
“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,” Kirby said in a statement.
Training credited for timely response
Kirby mentioned that the driver, who has chosen to remain anonymous, attributed the safe evacuation to the district’s annual bus evacuation drills.
“I spoke with the driver today, and they credited the annual bus evacuation drills that drivers do with students with preparing them,” she noted.
She also commended the students for maintaining composure and promptly following the driver’s instructions to ensure their safety.
Dramatic visuals of the fire
Images shared by the Cleveland Heights Fire Department depicted the yellow school bus engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke billowing from shattered windows. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
The fire department reported that another district vehicle promptly arrived to transport the students safely to school.
Community praises heroic efforts
Social media users applauded the driver’s heroism in response to the fire department’s post.
“Great job to the school bus driver for getting the students off safely with no injuries,” one user commented.
Another wrote, “Wow! How scary! I wonder why this happened, kudos to the bus driver for ensuring everyone’s safety.”
A third user expressed gratitude, saying, “Thank God for the quick action and knowledge of the driver. No one was harmed. God is good.”
With the driver’s decisive response and the students’ calm cooperation, a potentially catastrophic incident was averted, reaffirming the importance of preparedness and training in emergency situations.
