Kids safe as school bus bursts into flames [Milford, CT]

WTNH ^ | November 17, 2004 | Sara Welch

[LurkedLongEnough]

(Milford-WTNH, Nov. 17, 2004 Updated 6:35 AM ) _ Some elementary students may be a little leery of getting on the school bus this morning. On the way home from school yesterday their bus caught fire.

The bus driver is being hailed a hero for her actions in a very scary situation.

"I was terrified and everyone was screaming and waling their arms about."

Hard to believe moments before their yellow bus ignited in flames, children filled the seats that are now charred and twisted metal.

-snip-

Out the back door they went. Then came the fire.

"Oh yeah engulfed, we watched it travel from the front of the bus where it was in the motor all the way throughout the entire bus."

-snip-

Investigators are looking into what started the fire in the engine area of the bus.

A school psychologist will ride the bus to make sure all the children feel safe. Parents say they are relieved to know the children and the driver know what to do in a dangerous situation.

[tcostell]

This is terrible. We need to impose a federal ban on these so called 'school busses' They're obviously a threat to the health and well being of our children.

Has anyone considered the long term effects of the smoke from the fire? I'd reccomend a 2 Billion dollar federal study to examine the issue.

[NonValueAdded]

A school psychologist will ride the bus to make sure all the children feel safe.

I have this mental picture of a school bus with just the pshrink aboard riding in circles in the school parking lot as the assembled kiddies watch and regain their confidence in public transportation.

[LurkedLongEnough]

[rabidralph]

Did it have a Pinto gas tank?

[SilentServiceCPOWife]

My daughter doesn't ride the bus. I've always driven her to school. But I have often wondered about the upkeep of school buses around here because some of them don't look like they are in very good shape.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I never considered it before, but I sure wish they'd put a trained psychologist on every airline flight. His mere presence would help me transcend my anxieties about flying.

[G.Mason]

"I was terrified and everyone was screaming and waling their arms about."

Waling? Like what happens when your butt gets beat by a belt?

[fredhead]

Rode the school bus twice each day for 12 years, and drove them the last two of those years (they don't do that, high school drivers, anymore) in NC, had no problem.

Although I drove some pretty cheesey replacement busses when my assigned one was having maintenance performed and a couple of almost scary activity busses that were maintained by the school instead of the county.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping