No one hurt as school bus catches fire
Published 4:05 pm Wednesday, March 22, 2017
- Jordan Barela/Times-Enteprise Thomasville Fire/Rescue officials and Hank Townsend, Thomasville City Schools director of operations, examine a bus that caught fire at Harper Elementary.
THOMASVILLE — A school bus at Harper Elementary caught fire prior to the school’s dismissal time Wednesday afternoon and students were evacuated to safety.
An engine fire occurred while the bus was located at the front canopy of the elementary school.
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Bus driver Paul Koch said 15 students were loaded on the bus.
Once smoke was noticed coming from underneath the bus, the students were evacuated. Koch exited the bus to try to put out the fire.
“I used two fire extinguishers to get that (fire) out,” he said.
Koch added he attempted to move the bus from the elementary school’s front entrance, but the battery died due to the fire.
“We practice evacuation in the parking lot three times a year,” Koch said, noting this is the first real-life evacuation attempt.
A bus driver for 13 years, Koch said the bus was one of the oldest models.
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When the fire could not be quenched by Koch’s efforts, Thomasville Fire/Rescue and Thomasville City Police were dispatched.
Because of the bus’s location at the front entrance, Harper students were dismissed to the sidewalk.
Harper Principal Melvin Hugans said the students were dismissed to the sidewalk because fire officials wanted to keep the hose near the bus to ensure the fire was out.
“I thought the staff handled it well,” Hugans said. “Students and staff adjusted well.”
Humans added he was pleased with the “quick response and sound decision making by the teachers and students that were involved in the incident,” and emergency personnel responded quickly to the scene to contain the incident before damage to the building occurred. No injuries were reported.
Harper students were given the opportunity to practice Fire Safety Drill during Bus Safety Week to prepare for such incidents, according to Hugans.
Reporter Jordan Barela can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1826.
