“I can't stress enough the importance of working smoke detectors,” said Jason Knecht, a fire inspector with Eau Claire Fire Rescue. “Make sure you have them, but then check them and change the batteries.”
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A school bus carrying Concord High School athletes caught fire Saturday, prompting a multi-agency emergency response, reported My Keene News.
The Keene Police Department and Keene Fire Department responded Jan. 3 to reports of a bus fire. Police officials confirmed all students and coaches safely evacuated the bus before emergency crews arrived.
Firefighters reportedly found the engine compartment of the bus fully engulfed in flames upon arrival. Crews brought the fire under control, and no injuries were reported.
The bus was transporting an out-of-town Concord High School athletic team from a sporting event in Keene. A second bus carrying another group of Concord athletes from the same event transported the displaced students and coaches back to Concord.
Police said via the articleConcord High School administrators implemented a communication plan to notify parents about incidents such as when a school bus catches fire. The bus, owned by Concord School District, was later towed from the scene.
Keene police were reportedly assisted by the Keene Fire Department, New Hampshire State Police and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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The post New Hampshire School Bus Transporting Athletes Catches Fire appeared first on School Transportation News.
A terrifying incident unfolded when a Dickson County School District bus burst into flames along Highway 49 East, forcing a quick evacuation of the children on board, reported WKRN.
The Dickson County Sheriff’s Office said the school bus driver noticed smoke coming from his dashboard Dec. 3 and immediately pulled into the lot of a gas station. Within moments of the evacuation, the bus became fully engulfed in flames.
The school bus driver is in his first year on the job and is being called a hero for saving the lives of the 38 students on board a the time.
“I was the first one to get off the bus because I was scared it was going to blow up,” said Asher Winters, a second-grade student at Charlotte Elementary School who was riding the bus, to local news reporters.
His younger sister, Penelope Winters, a first-grader at the same school, proudly told the reporters she “saved everyone because I told the bus driver it was happening.”
According to the news report, fire crews from the Harpeth Ridge Volunteer Fire Department responded swiftly and extinguished the blaze. Officials confirmed that no injuries were reported. Images taken after the fire reveal the charred shell of the vehicle, which authorities say is a total loss.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The school bus was a spare as the driver’s normal bus was in the shop that day. A spokesman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol said the bus that caught fire had been inspected in August.
“Wednesday’s bus fire could have ended tragically, but it didn’t because of the bus driver,” added Maj. Travis Plotzer. “He saw danger, he acted fast, and he got every student off the bus before anyone got hurt. His quick thinking and being calm under pressure saved lives, without a doubt. What he did was brave and professional, and he did exactly what we’d hope for in a moment like that.”
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The post Tennessee School Bus Bursts Into Flames Moments After Children Evacuated appeared first on School Transportation News.
Two California farmworkers were celebrated as local heroes after saving 20 children from a burning school bus in Madera County north of Fresno last month, reported ABC News.
Carlos Perea Romero and Angel Zarco were honored on Oct. 21 by the Madera County Board of Supervisors for their quick thinking and bravery during the Sept. 4 incident, when they pulled students to safety from a school bus engulfed in flames.
“All the students made it out safely without any injuries due to the immediate action taken by the farmworkers and the bus driver,” the Board said via the article. “The Board of Supervisors recognize the two men for their selfless courage and bravery, demonstrating the highest ideals of public service, compassion and community spirit.”
Romero and Zarco were reportedly driving to work when they spotted thick smoke rising from the school bus. Without hesitation, they rushed to the scene and began evacuating the trapped children, battling heat and smoke to reach those seated in the back rows.
“We are profoundly grateful to the two farmworkers whose heroic actions saved the lives of more than 20 children,” said Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue via the news report. “Their quick thinking, bravery, and compassion in the face of danger exemplify the very best of Madera County.”
Zarco recalled the urgency of the moment.
“We were just making sure the kids were far away enough so that they wouldn’t get hurt,” he said.
Romero added, “One more moment that would have lasted, I don’t know what would have happened.”
Both men downplayed their heroism, saying they were simply doing what needed to be done. According to the article, CAL FIRE Division Chief Larry Pendarvis also praised the pair, saying their “situational awareness and fortitude” made the difference in saving lives. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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The post California Farmworkers Hailed as Heroes After Rescuing 20 Children from Burning School Bus appeared first on School Transportation News.
A school bus fire in Bethel, Minnesota, turned into a dramatic rescue earlier this month when a mother helped evacuate 22 elementary students just moments before flames engulfed the vehicle, reported CBS News.
According to the news report, Kari Thorp was waiting for her daughter’s school bus when she noticed smoke and flames coming from underneath the vehicle as it stopped in front of her home. She quickly alerted the driver, Rick Gratton, and the two acted fast to get the children off the bus safely.
“It was crazy. I’m just thankful that he was very calm,” Thorp said via the article.
Thorp’s Ring doorbell camera captured the scene as students from East Bethel Elementary gathered on her lawn, visibly shaken while flames spread rapidly through the front of the bus.
“Kids were crying. Kids were scared and freaking out,” Thorp told local news reporters. “It was quite emotional and kind of frantic.”
The fire escalated quickly. Within 15 minutes, the front of the bus was fully engulfed, and the intense heat even melted part of the road in front of Thorp’s house.
Though some backpacks, lunch boxes and the bus itself were lost in the fire, no injuries were reported. The students’ safe evacuation is being credited to the swift response of Thorp and Gratton as well as the children’s recent school bus safety training.
Both Thorp and Gratton were recognized for their “heroic efforts” in getting all students to safety by St. Francis Area Schools. Thorp reflected on how different things might have turned out if she hadn’t been outside at the time.
“I don’t think he would have gotten very far. And I don’t think we would have been able to get those kids off the bus as fast,” she said via the report. “A lot of little ones sit up front, and that’s where it all started.”
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
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A fourth-grade student from Hirayama Elementary School in Fresno, California, is being celebrated for his quick thinking and bravery after alerting staff to a fire that ultimately consumed his school bus, reported Your Central Valley news.
William Ruiz was one of four students riding the Clovis Unified School District bus home when he heard a strange noise coming from beneath the vehicle. “Well, I did hear like a steam, I heard like a pop,” Ruiz told local news reporters.
According to the article, smoke began rising from under the bus, and Ruiz didn’t hesitate to act. “So, I told the bus driver, ‘Smoke! Smoke!’” he said. “And the bus driver, he looked under there and said, ‘That’s not smoke, that’s fire.”
The driver immediately pulled and reportedly attempted to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher. When it failed, he quickly evacuated the children.
“We all [got] out, and it was like catching flames,” said Ruiz via the news report, adding that two student backpacks were burned. The fire, which reportedly started in the engine compartment, rapidly spread and engulfed the entire bus. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
On Oct. 2, Ruiz was honored with a “Super Hira Award” from his school for “showing heroic qualities like kindness and bravery.”
His mother, Valerie Ramos, added via the article that she couldn’t be more proud. “We tell him to speak up all the time, whether it’s bullying or if you see something, always tell an adult,” she said. “It feels great. Good job, William.”
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The Lion Bus electric school buses pulled from service in Quebec two weeks ago have reportedly all returned to the road after repairs were made to faulty HVAC fuses.
The Quebec Ministry of Education had ordered LionC electric school bus models to be taken out of service after a fire in Montreal Sept. 9, leading to school disruptions across the province and a renewed scrutiny of electric school bus safety. Lion360 diesel school buses, which Lion manufactured prior to only producing electric vehicles in 2017, were also affected by the issue. Lion Bus issued an inspection bulletin detailing the four-hour repair.
“We have identified some potential anomalies in a sub-component of the HVAC system that Lion obtains from a third-party supplier,” the bulletin states. “In the interest of safety above all else, we request that Lion bus operators perform the following inspections and modifications: [M]andatory inspection of several low-voltage electrical connections, replacement of certain electrical connectors, replace fan fuses with less powerful ones, adding a fuse to an HVAC control panel circuit. This inspection and modification procedure must be carried out on all Lion360 (diesel) and LionC 3rd generation and earlier buses (Gen3, Gen2 and Gen1).”
Lion Bus, the new name of the former Lion Electric based in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, has become the centerpiece of Canada’s electric school bus transition. The manufacturer has delivered more than 1,200 all-electric buses across North America, with the majority operating in Quebec. But at the same time, the company recently emerged from Canada’s version of bankruptcy protection and was acquired by a Quebec real estate magnate. Per terms of the deal, all warranties outside of Quebec became null and void.
The Sept. 9 fire occurred while the English Montreal School Board bus, operated by contractor Transco, was parked and unoccupied. No injuries resulted. Transport Canada confirmed it was investigating three total reports of LionC fires, the Montreal incident and two earlier fires, with the focus was on the low-voltage heating system. The agency, Canada’s version of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said its investigation has yet to identify a safety defect “due to the extent of fire damage in affected buses.”
Transport Canada recommended fleet owners immediately inspect their LionCs “in accordance with the manufacturer’s inspection bulletin.” For school bus drivers who see any smoke or smell anything burning, Transport Canada advises them to stop the bus, evacuate all passengers and, if safe, turn off the high-voltage and 12-volt power supplies.
CBC reported that three similar fires and a smoke-filled school bus have occurred since last November. It took the Sept. 9 incident for Transport Canada to investigate, according to the article.
But reports from local firefighters indicate the fire did not spread to the lithium-ion battery pack, added nonprofit climate advocate Green Communities Canada.
“It’s important to remember that data consistently shows gas-powered vehicles are six- to eight-times more likely to catch fire than electric vehicles,” added Leif Einarson, communications manager for Green Communities Canada. “One incident should not derail the momentum we’ve built in transitioning to cleaner, safer student transportation.”
Lion Bus said in a statement on Sept. 12 that it was working with Transport Canada to determine the exact cause but confirmed “neither the electric battery nor the propulsion system was involved.”
That same day, Lion said Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec approved its plan to return LionC electric school buses to service.
The English Montreal School Board confirmed in an Instagram post Sept. 20 that Transco received the missing parts needed for its electric buses. Two days later, Sunday, Sept. 22, the school posted that all buses had been repaired, inspected and cleared for operation Monday. In all, 76 school buses were grounded, cancelling 68 routes.
First Student owns Transco in Quebec. But the largest contractor in North America, First Student also operates more Lion ESBs than any fleet, including in the U.S.
“Our maintenance and engineering teams are following the Lion Inspection Bulletin to guide all inspections and replacements. As part of this [Lion] bulletin, we are conducting a multi-step inspection focused on electrical safety and system integrity,” company spokeswoman Brenna Rudisill told School Transportation News. “This includes replacing the HVAC control panel for wiring damage and foreign objects, replacing specific fuses to optimize fan performance, checking electrical panels and starter solenoid connections for proper torque and alignment, and verifying bulkhead terminal tightness.”
Rudisill added First Student technicians replaced any faulty components found and upgraded connectors. The issue had been receiving the parts. She said the contractor advises school districts across Canada and the U.S. to “continue to follow Lion’s inspection bulletin.”
Valérie Tremblay, coordinator for the Canadian Electric School Bus Alliance (CESBA), said the inspections brought an unexpected upside.
“The good thing is it pushed school districts, operators and Transport Canada to thoroughly inspect all electric school buses,” she explained.
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Related: Arkansas School District Thanks Driver for Quick Response During Bus Fire
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An electric school bus caught fire in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood. Fortunately, all five children aboard, along with the driver, were unharmed, reported CBC News.
The incident reportedly occurred Sept. 9 near, sparking concern among parents and local authorities.
The Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM) stated via the article that the children were being transported to one of the city’s schools when the driver noticed an unusual odor coming from the bus. Realizing something was wrong, the driver quickly parked the vehicle, evacuated the children, and called for help. A separate bus arrived shortly afterward to pick up the students.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with no official conclusions drawn yet. However, a Montreal Fire Department spokesperson confirmed via the news report that the fire began after the driver turned off the bus’ heating system and noticed smoke rising from the vents. The fire spread rapidly but did not damage the vehicle’s battery system. Firefighters were able to put out the flames with four crew members on the scene.
According to the news report, a statement from CSSDM assured parents that the transportation company’s vehicles undergo rigorous mechanical checks, which had recently been completed.
“As per our contracts, the transportation company’s vehicles are subject to strict mechanical verification requirements, and those verifications are recent,” the statement said via the article. The school service center has been in close contact with the company to determine the cause of the fire.
The bus was reportedly manufactured by Lion Electric, now known as LION Bus after being acquired out of bankruptcy earlier this year. In a statement via the article, LION confirmed it is conducting an internal analysis to better understand the circumstances surrounding the fire. However, as STN has reported, LION has ceased all operations in the U.S. after being purchased by a private company in Canada. The bus involved in the fire was owned by First Studen. In a statement, First Student commended the school bus driver for acting swiftly and praised the local fire department for their prompt response.
“The bus driver responded swiftly and appropriately, ensuring the safety of everyone on board. We also want to thank the local fire department for their prompt and professional response,” the company said via the article.
According to the news report, this incident is similar to one occurring last November, when another electric school bus caught fire in Ascot Corner, Quebec. In that case, the fire also started in the vehicle’s heating system but, like Tuesday’s incident, did not affect the battery. The driver in that case was the only one on board and escaped unharmed.
Parents of students on board the bus were informed of the incident, and while there was some delay in getting the children home, the quick response from the driver and emergency services ensured the situation was handled without injury.
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STN EXPO hosted a visceral experience to train student transporters in emergency school bus evacuations. A bus loaned by Washoe County Schools was set up in the parking lot of the Peppermill Hotel Resort and filled with fog machines for attendees to traverse as they attempted to “rescue” a predetermined number of dolls standing in for students.
Images by Nashawn Craig / 0312 Photography.
The post Gallery: Emergency Evacuation Class at STN EXPO West 2025 appeared first on School Transportation News.
New Poll: American Voters Support Federal Investments in Electric Vehicles Broad, Bipartisan Support for EV Investments and Incentives that Lower Costs, Expand Access, and Help the U.S. Beat China in the Race for Auto Manufacturing WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new bipartisan national poll conducted by Meeting Street Insights and Hart Research finds broad public support …
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