CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — More than a dozen middle school students and their bus driver are safe after their trip to school Thursday morning turned dramatic.
The Cleveland Heights Fire Department and Ohio State Highway Patrol are investigating why their school bus burst into flames.
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The fire broke out at Northampton and Cambridge roads.
“There were a couple of booms," 13-year-old Britt Mosby told News 5. "The bus driver said, ‘Everybody get off the bus.’ That’s when we ran from it and the bus just caught on fire. We were all scared. We called our parents. Luckily the bus driver got us off safely."
Neighbors who shared images of the rolling flames and thick smoke reported hearing a similar noise.
“I saw a little girl getting on the bus like I do everyday. After she got on the bus, I heard a big boom. I looked out the window and I saw flames coming from the side of the bus,” recalled Maureen Ottman.
The Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District said the bus was bringing 15 students to Monticello Middle School when the fire appeared to have started behind a rear wheel.
The bus driver was able to get all of the kids safely off the bus and another district vehicle transported everyone to school.
“I’m highly grateful that everybody survived as was able to escape that,” said Antwone Jones, the parent of a Monticello 7th grade student.
The district superintendent and many parents credited the driver's quick action, the students' cooperation and annual bus evacuation drills for the outcome.
“It was very comforting hearing the bus driver had it under control. I didn’t panic. I told my son, ‘This is all good news. Hang up with me and be very careful to pay attention to the bus driver,” said Devin Morris Meadows, who had a 13-year-old son and nephew on the bus.
The district said it's investigating the fire's cause, with help from the Cleveland Heights Fire Department and Ohio State Highway Patrol.
In a statement to CH-UH families, the superintendent said the bus had passed its annual mandated state inspection on Feb. 14. The district's mechanic team re-inspected the rest of the bus fleet Thursday as a precaution.
This is the second time in less than 24 hours that a school bus has been involved in an incident.
On Wednesday around 3:45 p.m., crews were called to Lee and East Overlook roads for a bus involved in an accident. The district said a 28-year-old man, who failed to yield the right of way, was cited for the crash.
More than a dozen children were on the bus when the accident happened.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Parents told News 5 they were grateful no one was hurt in either incident.
“God gets all the glory," said Morris Meadows. "That could’ve turned out very bad. It could have but He didn’t allow it to.”
The school district posted a letter to staff and families on its website, where Superintendent Liz Kirby expressed how grateful she was for the driver's quick response.
Read the full letter below:
Bus 21 Fire Update
February 27, 2025
Dear CH-UH Staff and Families,
This morning, a fire broke out behind one of the rear wheels of bus 21 while it was at the corner of Cambridge and Northampton roads in Cleveland Heights, prompting the driver to quickly evacuate all of the students off of the bus. First and foremost, I can’t express how relieved I am that no one was hurt, and I am incredibly grateful for the quick response from the driver. I spoke with the driver today, and they credited the annual bus evacuation drills that they do with students with preparing them. (The driver has asked not to be identified, and we are respecting that request.) I also must credit the students for reacting so calmly and following the driver’s instructions to get to safety.
At the time of the fire, the bus was transporting 15 students to Monticello Middle School. Another CH-UH driver was in the area and was able to pick up the students and get them to school. Administrators, social workers, counselors, teachers, and additional staff at Monticello jumped into action to ensure supports were in place at school for students upon arrival.
We are investigating the cause of the fire in partnership with the Cleveland Heights Fire Department and the state highway patrol, and we will share information when it becomes available. Although bus 21 passed its annual mandated state inspection that just took place on February 14, 2025, our mechanic teams have re-inspected all buses in our fleet today out of an abundance of caution.
Again, I am truly thankful for the safety of our students and thoughtful action from the adults who care for them.
Sincerely,
Superintendent Liz Kirby
