A US school bus driver has been earning praises for his courageous efforts to evacuate over a dozen students after the vehicle caught fire on Thursday morning in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
Liz Kirby, school district superintendent, said in a statement that the bus was bringing 15 students to Monticello Middle School in Cleveland Heights, Ohio when a fire broke out behind 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.
“I spoke with the driver today, and they credited the annual bus evacuation drills that drivers do with students with preparing them,” Kirby added, mentioning that the driver has asked not to be identified.
“I also must credit the students for reacting so calmly and following the driver’s instructions to get to safety,” she said.
The yellow school bus was pushed to one side as fire consumed nearly the entire vehicle and billows of dark smoke erupted from its shattered windows.
The Cleveland Heights Fire Department shared images of the incident, in which flames shooting from the bus’s windows can be seen.
The fire department said in its post that the students were picked up by another district vehicle and transported to school.
A school bus driver “acted quickly” and was able to get all students to safety after the bus caught fire Thursday morning.
— Cleveland 19 News (@cleveland19news) February 27, 2025
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