The quick actions of an Ohio school bus driver kept all students safe after a school bus was engulfed in flames.
The Cleveland Heights Fire Department released a statement reporting that a fire broke out on a Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District bus early Thursday, as it was on its way to drop students off at Monticello Middle School.
The school bus driver is being hailed as a hero after acting quickly and evacuating all the students to safely. Students were picked up by another school district vehicle and transported to school. The fire was contained by firefighters.
The district’s superintendent, Liz Kirby, released a statement confirming that bus 21 involved in the incident was transporting 15 students at the time of the fire. However, there were no injuries reported. The school bus driver asked not to be identified, and the district is respecting that request.
Although the bus passed its annual mandate state inspection on Feb. 14, the district’s mechanic teams are re-inspecting all school buses in their fleet out of an abundance of caution.
The exact cause of the fire remains unclear. However, the incident is being investigated by the Cleveland Heights Fire Department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol in partnership with the district.
Related: North Texas School Bus Engine Catches Fire, Students Evacuated Safely
Related: STN EXPO East Sessions Focus on Fire Safety, Partnerships with First Responders
Related: New Jersey School Bus Bursts into Flames
Related: New Jersey School Bus Bursts into Flames, Students Evacuate Safely
