Hero: Bus driver safely evacuates children from burning vehicle

More than a dozen children were saved from a burning bus, thanks to the swift and heroic actions of their bus driver.

Aurora Fire Rescue shared photos of the charred school bus on social media Wednesday, explaining that it caught fire around 4 p.m. By the time firefighters arrived, the bus was fully engulfed in flames, but all 14 students on board had safely evacuated.

According to Aurora Fire Rescue, the bus driver immediately pulled over and assisted the children in getting off the bus as soon as he noticed flames rising through the dashboard.

“His prompt and courageous actions were crucial in ensuring everyone’s safety,” Aurora Fire Rescue stated in the post. “The outcome of this incident could have been tragic, but the quick and effective actions of the bus driver and firefighters were truly heroic.”

Investigators believe the fire was accidental, originating in the bus’s engine.

A spokesperson for Aurora Public Schools issued the following statement:

“We are extremely grateful that no one was injured in an incident this afternoon involving one of our buses. While taking students home after school, the bus driver noticed a small fire in the engine compartment, immediately stopped the bus, and evacuated everyone on board. Emergency responders were then called to extinguish the fire.

Another APS bus picked up the students and took them to their stops. We want to express our utmost thanks to our bus driver for his awareness and quick action. His response kept everyone safe. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority.”

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