A school bus carrying 15 students to Monticello Middle School caught fire Thursday morning, prompting a swift evacuation thanks to the quick thinking of the bus driver. The incident occurred at the corner of Cambridge and Northampton Roads.
“First and foremost, I can’t express how relieved I am that no one was hurt,” said a school district representative, who also expressed gratitude for the driver’s rapid response and the students’ calm cooperation.
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The driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, credited the annual bus evacuation drills for preparing them to handle the emergency. Another CH-UH school bus driver in the area was able to pick up the students and transport them to Monticello Middle School.
Upon arrival at the school, students were met with a support team of administrators, social workers, counselors, teachers, and staff to help them process the incident.
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The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Cleveland Heights Fire Department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, in partnership with the school district.
While the bus had recently passed its annual state inspection on February 14th, the district’s mechanics have re-inspected all buses in the fleet as a precautionary measure.
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