Minnesota Driver Evacuates Students Before School Bus Catches Fire
The driver is transporting students to a basketball game when he sees smoke entering the bus. He is able to safely evacuate all of the students before the bus catches fire.
Sadiah Thompson・Assistant Editor
January 16, 2020
Video footage from a Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) traffic camera, posted on Twitter by Twin Cities Traffic, shows students outside of the bus as it is consumed by smoke and flames. Screenshot courtesy of MNDOT
2 min to read
Video footage from a Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) traffic camera, posted on Twitter by Twin Cities Traffic, shows students outside of the bus as it is consumed by smoke and flames. Screenshot courtesy of MNDOT
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. — A school bus driver here is being credited for safely evacuating students from his school bus on Monday before it caught fire, a district official said.
The bus driver was transporting Richfield Middle School’s seventh grade boys basketball team to a game in Maplewood at about 3:30 p.m., according to a statement from Steven Unowsky, the superintendent for Richfield Public Schools. Unowsky said the driver “smelled smoke and saw smoke coming through the bus vents” before he was able to safely pull the bus over and evacuate all of the students on board.
Ad Loading...
Video footage from a Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) traffic camera, posted on Twitter by Twin Cities Traffic, shows students outside of the bus as it is consumed by smoke and flames. (Watch the video below.)
A second school bus was dispatched to the scene to return the students and staff to Richfield Middle School, where students were met by their families, Unowsky said in the statement.
“We are extremely grateful that there were no injuries and that our driver was able to quickly and calmly evacuate students,” he added. “His swift and decisive actions ensured students and staff were safe.”
Dan Kretsinger, the district’s director of facilities and transportation, also said that the driver has been with the district for 18 years and is well known throughout the school community.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Minnesota State Patrol. Unowsky said that the bus involved in the fire was four years old and that all of the district’s buses recently passed annual inspections by the State Patrol in December.
Searching for the right equipment, technology, or services for your school transportation program? This industry guide brings together manufacturers and suppliers across the entire school bus market, all in one place. Download it to find the partners who can help move your operation forward.
Child Safety Network appointed psychology researcher Michael C. Hout, Ph.D., to lead a study examining why drivers illegally pass stopped school buses.
See how a new 50-state roadmap outlines 69 strategies for districts, law enforcement, and policymakers to reduce the 39 million illegal school bus passings reported each year.
Recently, an Iowa student died after falling under a school bus, while 14 Oklahoma students were injured days later when a semi-truck rear-ended their bus.
Selecting a fleet technology partner can be complex, especially with evolving operational demands and limited resources. This white paper outlines seven key criteria to help school transportation leaders evaluate options and align technology with their needs. It offers a practical framework to support more informed decision-making.
When school bus communication systems fail, the consequences extend far beyond equipment repairs. Downtime can increase safety risks, strain dispatch operations, and erode driver confidence. Explore how proactive radio lifecycle management and managed services are reducing disruptions, supporting driver retention, and delivering predictable budgeting for school transportation fleets.
EverDriven has launched a new safety council aimed at standardizing and strengthening student transportation practices across all states it operates in.
The OEM's three-week campaign during National School Bus Safety Week has awarded nearly $6,000 to Bryan County Schools to support increasing student safety around the bus.
