PRESS RELEASE submitted by Destry Brown, Superintendent of USD 234 School District.
Yesterday, October 3rd, as our 8th grade students were returning from Kansas City from a field trip, one of our buses had an inside dual tire blow out just south of Louisburg, KS on US 69 Highway.
After consulting with district staff, the decision was made to continue to drive the bus toward home at a reduced speed.
As the bus approached the exit at Prescott, KS, the driver of a school van that was following the bus noticed smoke coming from the tire. The driver of the van drove up to the bus and signaled for them pull over.
The students on the bus were evacuated with the assistance of the teachers. After evacuating the bus, students hurried down the highway ramp and headed to the convenience store located at the
Prescott, KS exit.
After the students had cleared, the driver attempted to put the fire that had developed around the tire area out using the fire extinguisher on the bus. This proved to be unsuccessful. The fire
began spread to the inside of the bus and eventually engulfed the entire bus.
The students were near the convenience store when the fire began to spread inside the bus. The bus was a total loss.
Students entered the convenience store and were provided drinks by the store clerk.
The Linn County Fire Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and Linn County EMS responded to the scene and one student was treated and released at the scene for minor smoke inhalation.
Another bus from Fort Scott arrived at the convenience store around 3:45 p.m. and loaded the 32 students and staff for the return trip home.
All students arrived at Fort Scott Middle School and
were picked up by their parents and went home by 5:00 p.m.
were picked up by their parents and went home by 5:00 p.m.
The district will begin an internal investigation of the incident next week and will determine what policies and procedures need to be in place in the future, so another incident of this type does not happen again. A full report of the investigation will be provided to the board of education at the conclusion of the investigation.
We are proud of our students and staff who responded calmly and quickly during this event. We are thankful that our students and staff were returned home safely.
The safety of our students is our top priority, and the district is committed to doing whatever is necessary to ensure our
students are safe while attending school as well as events that occur outside of school.
students are safe while attending school as well as events that occur outside of school.