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.”
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.
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.
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.
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Image by Nashawn Craig / 0312 Photography.
A school bus parked in the Peppermill Resort Casino, home of STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, on Aug. 5, 2025.
A school bus parked in the Peppermill Resort Casino, home of STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, on Aug. 5, 2025.
Homer Blow, a well-known radio personality and producer in Milwaukee, saw more than fireworks shoot off outside his North Side home on the Fourth of July.
He witnessed flames from a fire that damaged homes, destroyed at least one garage and engulfed two vehicles – the result of illegal fireworks.
“There were multiple people on multiple blocks setting off those really big fireworks,” Blow said.
Blow filmed firefighters working to put out flames just four houses down from his home on the 2900 block of North 53rd Street near Sherman Park.
Growing problem in Milwaukee
The incident is part of a growing trend in Milwaukee: fires caused by illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July. This year, there were seven fireworks-related fires on July 4, according to data provided by Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski.
In 2020, there was one. Five of the seven fires this year – including the fire on North 53rd Street – occurred on the north or northwest sides of the city, according to fire department reports.
Since 2020, there have been 17 fires on the Fourth of July linked to fireworks. That total could be higher because determining the precise cause of a fire is difficult, Lipski said.
“We do not always either know or have available to us the exact cause just based upon the realities of fire damaging/destroying evidence for all of these fires,” Lipski wrote in an email to NNS.
The fire on North 53rd Street also damaged this garage and destroyed several garbage carts. (Jonathan Aguilar / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service / CatchLight Local)
‘I just needed to make sure my family was safe’
Shanise Sanders knows all too well the damage fireworks can cause. Her Northwest Side home erupted in flames last year on the Fourth of July.
Sanders said she and four family members were in their apartment at 6279 N. 84th St. when it caught fire.
“At the time, I had no fear – I just needed to make sure my family was safe,” Sanders said. “But it was definitely scary.”
Everyone made it out safely, Sanders said, but she and her family lost their home and all their possessions.
Illegal fireworks were used near the rear of the building, one of which reportedly lodged behind the electrical meter and exploded, according to information from the fire department.
Two years before Sanders’ fire, Christina Blake said her North Side home burned down on July 4 – with her daughter and grandchildren inside.
“They called me and said they see smoke coming from the wall,” Blake said.
According to Blake, a firework went between the sun porch and the house, where a socket was on the other side of the wall, resulting in an electrical fire.
“I wish people could know firsthand the damage it causes,” Blake said. “There should be more consequences.”
Fireworks banned in the city
The sale, possession and use of fireworks is illegal in the city without a permit approved by the fire chief, according to a city ordinance. Violators can face fines ranging from $500 to $1,000, and those who fail to pay may be jailed for up to 40 days.
The ban on fireworks came after the Milwaukee Common Council created a fireworks task force in 2006 to examine the impact of fireworks on public safety after a Milwaukee home was destroyed.
Ald. Mark Chambers Jr., who represents the district Sanders lived in, said in a statement that the fire that destroyed her home was entirely preventable, suggesting the Legislature revisit regulations surrounding these “commercial, high-grade explosives.”
Undeterred by the fire on July 4, people on North 53rd Street were setting off fireworks the next day, Blow said.
“I understand people want to light fireworks, but, I mean, you have to understand fire safety,” Blow said. “My whole thing is – what goes up must come down,” he said. “When those fireworks come down, they’re going to be hot.”
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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