BETHEL, MN – A school bus erupted in flames in Bethel earlier this month, turning a routine afternoon into a harrowing experience for local families. Thanks to the quick actions of a vigilant mother, a potential disaster was averted.
Cary Thorpe was waiting for her daughter’s bus to arrive home when she noticed smoke and flames under the vehicle. Immediately alerting the bus driver, Thorpe’s swift response set off a chain of events that ensured the safety of the 22 children on board.
“It was a crazy situation, but the driver remained calm,” Thorpe recounted. Her doorbell camera captured the alarming scene as elementary students, visibly shaken, gathered in front of her home while the fire spread rapidly.
Within 15 minutes, the bus was engulfed in flames. School staff and volunteer firefighters arrived promptly, managing to control the blaze. The intensity of the fire was evident from the melted road surface and shattered glass left behind once the bus was towed away.
Though some backpacks and lunchboxes were lost, no injuries were reported. Thorpe and the bus driver were praised by parents and school officials for their heroic efforts in preventing what could have been a tragic outcome.
As investigators work to determine the cause of the fire, Thorpe reflects on the incident, grateful for her timely intervention. “I can’t imagine what might have happened if I hadn’t seen those flames,” she said.