Cousins! A pregnant school bus driver from Milwaukee is being rightfully recognized as a hero after she evacuated over thirty students from a bus seconds before it became covered in hot blazing flames!
Imunek Williams was in route with a total of 37 students ranging from kindergarten through high school on Wednesday morning May 31st, when she noticed an alarming smell. She says that roughly two hours into her routine ride is when the smell had occurred along with a growingly thick layer of smoke.
Despite being only a half a mile from Milwaukee Academy of Science, Imunek said she decided not to ignore the smell and instead had the students exit the bus. “I just thought it was normal smoke coming from another car, because I always smell smoke or weird smells,” she told WISN. “But then as I started to drive more, the smell and the smoke started to get thicker.”
Imunek says she then pulled over and instructed the students to exit the bus and line up by a gate. “I just told the kids, let’s get off,” explained Imunek. “I evacuated the bus, made sure everyone was off, and made them line up against a gate. And as soon as we stepped off the bus, I turned around and the bus was just … in flames.”
Reports read that a forwarded video shows the school bus covered in smoke and flames from both the front and back as firefighters used a water hose through the windows.
“It just feels good that I was able to get them off and no one was hurt,” said Imunek . “That’s just my biggest concern because if it was my kid on the bus, I would want the bus driver to do the exact same thing.”
She says that students were surprised to see her back at work the following day to pick them up. “They actually weren’t expecting to see me,” Imunek details. “They were like, ‘Oh you’re back? You didn’t get burned up?’ I said ‘No, I’m still here.’”
Thankfully officials confirm that no children were on board at the time of the fire.
After the incident Imunek was taken to a local hospital to check on her as well as the baby, that is due in August. It has been indicated that they both are healthy and in good standing.
As of right now the incident is currently under investigation by local authorities.