Cleveland Bus Driver Honored for Rescuing 15 Students from Fiery Bus
For Dorian Pace, a routine morning route turned into a life-threatening ordeal—but thanks to his quick thinking, 15 students walked away without injury.
The Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District bus driver was transporting students to Monticello Middle School on Feb. 27 when a sudden explosion beneath the vehicle shattered the morning calm.
“I actually felt like the bus was about to blow up,” Pace recalled to Good Morning America.
A seasoned driver with 11 years of experience, Pace had never encountered anything like this. But the safety drills he routinely practiced kicked in just when they were needed most.
The fire, which originated behind the rear wheel, escalated quickly, sending thick black smoke into the sky and prompting loud booms that startled both students and nearby residents.
“What was going through my mind was, ‘I can't lose any kids,’” Pace shared.
Without hesitation, he activated “bus evacuation mode” and ushered the students out through the front door, keeping them far from the fire, which quickly consumed the back of the bus.
Seventh-grader Britt Mosby described the scene as terrifying. “We were all scared. We called our parents,” Mosby told WEWS. “It was like a couple of booms. Then, when we got somewhere, the bus driver said, ‘Everybody get off the bus.’”
Officials and community leaders wasted no time recognizing Pace’s bravery. Andy Wilson, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, commended him, saying, “I would feel such a level of comfort putting my kids on one of your school buses, knowing that there are men and women of this character.”
The incident occurred just two weeks after the bus passed an inspection. Local fire and highway officials are now investigating the cause of the fire, and as a precaution, the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District has begun reinspecting all buses.
