Cleveland Heights School Bus Fire: Driver Evacuates Students Safely
A school bus caught fire Thursday morning at the corner of Cambridge and Northampton while transporting students to Monticello Middle School, according to the Cleveland Heights Fire Department. Thanks to the bus driver’s quick response, all students were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported. Another bus picked up the students and transported them to school, where administrators, social workers, and counselors were available for support.
Superintendent Liz Kirby confirmed the fire started behind one of the bus’s rear wheels and credited the district’s bus evacuation drills for preparing both the driver and students. The driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, and the students were praised for their calm and decisive actions.
Officials are investigating the cause of the fire in partnership with the Cleveland Heights Fire Department and the state highway patrol. Although the bus had passed its annual state inspection on February 14, all buses in the fleet were re-inspected as a precaution.
This marks the second school bus-related incident in Cleveland Heights in two days. On February 26, another bus was involved in an accident at East Overlook and Lee Roads due to a 28-year-old driver who has since been cited. No injuries were reported in either incident.
