Indiana School Bus Driver Evacuates Students to Safety After Bus Fire

August 7, 2017

DeKalb Central School bus caught fire early morning with 16 student passengers early last Friday in DeKalb County, Indiana. All student passengers successfully evacuated and were neither harmed due to the effort and direction of their school bus driver, WANE reports.

michelle pfefferkorn — **Michelle Pfefferkorn**

Dekalb Central School bus No.14 was on schedule for its route through Mason’s village subdivision, until “it began with an engine light,” said Michelle Pfefferkorn, a school bus driver for DeKalb Central School.

“We stopped the bus and it started to smoke a little bit. I felt the kids needed to be evacuated and we evacuated them off the bus immediately. Then it proceeded into a full-blown fire.”

After safely removing all student passengers off the school bus, Pfefferkorn relocated with students farther from the school bus, which was engulfed in flames.

“I wasn’t afraid of it exploding, but I moved them a second time away from the bus a little bit further because of the fact the windows were popping,” Said Pfefferkorn.

Pfefferkorn transported 16 students: 12 from McKenney-Harrison Elementary School in Auburn, two from DeKalb Middle School and two DeKalb High School,

Superintendent Steve Teders told KPC News that students were examined and cleared by medics and notified their parents.

Pfefferkorn was credited and recognized from Fire Chief Michael Vanzile for her fast-thinking in ensuring the safety of the children. She continues to receive praise from DeKalb community members on her dedicated service as DeKalb County’s school bus driver.