A bus driver from Ohio helped evacuate more than 12 children after his vehicle caught fire on Thursday morning.
According to a statement by Liz Kirby, the superintendent of the district, a small fire began behind the rear wheel of a bus that was transporting fifteen students to Monticello Middle School in Cleveland Heights.
Cleveland Heights Fire Department posted photos of the incident. Photos show the flames shooting from the bus windows, as well as the smoke and fire that consumes the vehicle.
As firefighters work to extinguish the fire, pictures show a house surrounded by smoke.
The Superintendent stated that the driver requested anonymity and evacuated the students quickly. Kirby said that the bus drivers credited the annual district evacuation drills with preparing the students for an emergency. Kirby also stated that students responded calmly and followed instructions from the driver.
The fire department reported that there were no injuries and the fire had been quickly brought under control.
Superintendent Kirby stated that another district bus was in the area at the time the students were evacuated. The bus picked up the students and took them back to their school. Kirby said that additional staff and teachers were present when the evacuation occurred.
The superintendent said that the bus had passed the state inspection required on February 14, 2025. On Thursday, all buses in the district’s fleet were reinspected “out of caution”.
The fire department and state highway patrol will investigate the cause of this fire.
