Quick-thinking driver gets kids off school bus before it erupts in flames south of Arcanum

DARKE COUNTY — UPDATE @ 5:30 p.m.:

A quick-thinking school bus driver saw the vehicle’s check engine light come on, pulled over and got the high school students off the bus — right before flames erupted and spread through the bus.

PHOTOS: From the scene of bus fire

The check engine light came came on around 3:15 p.m. while the Franklin-Monroe Schools bus was traveling on Grubbs-Rex Road, according to the Darke County Sheriff’s Office.

Arcanum Fire Chief Kurt Troutwine said the bus was fully involved when crews arrived, with the hood burnt off, all the windows blown out. The tires blew off the rim, too, he said.

No one was injured and the bus had to be towed.

FIRST REPORT

Firefighters have responded to reports of a school bus fully engulfed in flames on Grubbs-Rex Road south of Arcanum, according to dispatchers.

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The bus fire was reported near the intersection of Grubbs-Rex Road and Gordon-Landis Road around 3:15 p.m., emergency scanner traffic indicates.

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Initial reports indicate all students were able to safely make it off the bus.

No injuries have been reported.

We have a crew on the way and we’ll update this page as we learn more.