'Heroic' bus driver credited after Bus Fire Near Deputy

No Injuries were reported

On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, there was a situation involving Madison Consolidated Schools bus #37 which caught fire on Bethany Road in Deputy, IN. Thanks to the heroic efforts of veteran bus driver Jessie Ritzline and the quick actions of the students on the bus, everyone was safely evacuated; there were no injuries reported. First responders were dispatched to the scene. Additional buses were sent to the scene to assist with the delivery of the afternoon route for students remaining on the bus at the time of the incident. Thank you to the volunteer firefighters of the Deputy Fire Department for your swift action this afternoon. Seeing familiar faces from our neighborhood fire department helped ease the minds of our students as they waited patiently for other buses to arrive. Direct communication with Deputy Elementary families was sent shortly after the incident occurred earlier today to alert them to the situation. District administrators and SROs were available on the scene to assist with logistics and ensure all student needs were met. At this time, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.