Denver news

Driver saves 14 children after school bus catches fire in Aurora

Officials said the fire originated from the engine and was accidental.
Paolo Zialcita
1 min. read
An Aurora Public Schools bus after it caught fire.
Firefighters extinguished an Aurora Public Schools bus that caught fire Wednesday, August 15, 2024.
Aurora Fire Rescue

An Aurora Public Schools bus carrying 14 children caught fire Wednesday, but safety officials said everyone was safely evacuated thanks to the bus driver’s quick thinking.

Aurora Fire Rescue said the bus caught fire at East 11th Avenue and North Picadilly Road around 4 p.m. Wednesday. When the bus driver noticed flames emerging from the dashboard, he pulled over and evacuated the 14 children on board. 

“His prompt and courageous actions were crucial in ensuring everyone's safety,” Aurora Fire Rescue said in a statement.

Fire crews arrived and found the bus fully engulfed in flames. Officials said the accidental fire originated from the engine.

Paolo Zialcita

Paolo's lived in Colorado since 2020, but he didn't become an official Denverite until he moved close to City Park in 2023. Since then, he's been obsessed with learning as much as he can about the city. As Denverite's Neighborhood Reporter, he now gets to do that for a living. Before coming to Denverite, he worked on CPR News' daily news desk, NPR and KUNR Public Radio in Reno, Nevada. Paolo can often be found roaming East Colfax, lounging at Cheesman Park, or slowly hitting up every single ice cream shop in the city.

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