A quick-thinking driver saved more than a dozen kids this week when a school bus went up in flames in Colorado.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. Wednesday in Aurora, a suburb east of Denver, as kids were getting dropped off after school.
While making a turn, the driver noticed the fire coming through the dashboard and immediately pulled over and began evacuating the children to safety.
Aurora Fire Rescue was dispatched and arrived to find the bus “fully engulfed in flames” but the driver and all 14 students were safe outside.
Photos of the damage showed the scorched bus with a blown-out windshield and windows, its engine completely destroyed.
Investigators later determined the fire was accidental and started in the engine compartment.
“The outcome of this incident could have been tragic, but the quick and effective actions of the bus driver and firefighters were truly heroic,” Aurora Fire Rescue said.
The Aurora School District also praised the driver, who has not been publicly identified.
“We want to give our utmost thanks to our bus driver for his awareness and quick action. His response kept everyone safe,” the school district said in a statement. “The safety of our students and staff is our top priority.”
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