DETROIT – Melting snow and heavy rain are causing several neighborhoods to flood, but when a school bus gets stuck in a mess with students aboard, it just puts into perspective how high the flood waters were on Detroit’s west side.
The situation that occurred on Friday (Jan. 26) is causing headaches all around.
When Detroit firefighters got the call on Friday that people were on the bus in the middle of rising waters, they quickly devised a plan.
The voices of Detroit firefighters quickly putting together their rescue plan were heard on video as they needed to get through the water and out to the occupied school bus.
“I got the one adult, how many do we have,” asked a firefighter. “Two teenagers.”
And get to two Cody High School students along with the bus driver. One of the firefighters made the freezing call.
“We are going to have to bite the bullet and wade on out there,” one firefighter said.
To wade out in the water rising from the River Rouge, exactly where rising water is supposed to go, the low area on Spinoza Drive and into Rouge Park.
What was not supposed to go there was a school bus. The water was moving and rising as the driver apparently decided to chance it.
Detroit firefighters went for the save.
“We are going to carry one and walk two out of there,” said a Detroit firefighter.
Kurt Danowski lives in the area, and he knows how high water can be common in the area. But he couldn’t believe a school bus driver would drive into the flooded road.
“Oh no, he should’ve never drove into it and attempted that,” said Danowski. “Don’t they have regs that they would follow?”
The teamwork of a father and son wrecker crew took place next as they proceeded to get the bus out of the flooded water.
Officials say there were about two feet of water inside of the bus.
“Fire Department members responded quickly to this scene and didn’t hesitate to put themselves in harm’s way to help move everyone to safety. Executive Fire Commissioner Simms and the fire department leadership are extremely proud of the continued heroic actions of the professional men and women of the Detroit Fire Department.”
Detroit Fire Department
More: Melted snow combined with rain floods neighborhoods in Wayne County