Minnesota Mother Saves 22 Children from Burning School Bus

In East Bethel, Minnesota, a school bus carrying 22 children caught fire, but swift and calm actions by mother Kari Thorp and the bus driver, Rick Gratton, ensured all children were safely evacuated before the flames engulfed the vehicle. Thorp noticed smoke and flames near a bus tire as she was helping her daughter off the bus and immediately alerted the driver, who kept calm amid the chaos. The children, frightened and some crying, gathered on Thorp's porch as the fire rapidly spread, eventually destroying the bus along with some backpacks and lunch boxes. The quick evacuation was aided by a recent bus safety course, and both Thorp and Gratton were praised by parents and school officials for their bravery. Firefighters arrived promptly to extinguish the fire, which melted parts of the road and caused the bus tires to explode. The cause of the fire is still under investigation; however, the community has since expressed gratitude to the heroes involved in preventing a tragedy.