QUEENS (VINnews) — A heroic yeshiva school bus driver saved the day on Tuesday afternoon, preventing what could have been a horrific tragedy, after his bus caught fire.
B’chasdei Hashem, several yeshiva students were evacuated safely after the fire engulfed their entire bus in Rego Park.
Video footage captured the bus engulfed in flames with black smoke swirling into the sky. The fire was so intense that it spread to nearby cars.
However, thanks to a real-life hero, this disaster did not turn tragic.
The school bus driver, with more than 30 years experience, is being praised as a hero for grabbing the young, frightened students off the bus and away from danger, while the bus was on fire.
“The bus driver did a great job, again there were six kids still on the bus and as soon as ignited was able to get them off quickly and get them safe and out of the way and none of the kids were hurt,” FDNY Battalion Chief Brian Hanrahan said.
“The bus driver was fabulous,” one neighbor said. “I think he’s a true hero and the kids, thank God nobody was hurt. The cars can all be fixed.”
The six students all attend a Yeshiva in Queens, reportedly in Fresh Meadows.
First responders received a call around 3:45 p.m. of multiple vehicles on fire at 65-44 Saunders Street in Rego Park.
The chief said he needed extra hose lines to battle not just the burning bus but also the burning cars and to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby apartment buildings.
The community was especially grateful that this did not end in a tragedy.
“It’s all the sudden. Nobody could imagine something going to happen like this. Terrible,” resident Lika Palag said.
About six units and 30 firefighters responded and worked to put out the fire.
Boroch Hashem! A miracle that everyone is ok!! The driver should be honored.
So tell us the name of this hero.
So how will Yaffed and their attack dogs at the NY Times spin this?