CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Heights Fire Department said there was a school bus fire Thursday morning on the corner of Cambridge and Northampton.

What You Need To Know

  • A school bus in Cleveland Heights caught fire Thursday morning

  • No one was injured

  • The bus driver acted quickly and got all students off the bus

  • There was another unrelated school bus accident Wednesday in Cleveland Heights

The fire department said the bus driver acted quickly and got all the students off the bus. Nobody was injured, officials said.

Officials said the bus had been heading to Monticello Middle School when the bus caught on fire. Students were picked up by another bus and taken to school. The district said they had administrators, social workers, counselors and others ready for the students when they arrived.

The fire was brought under control by the Cleveland Heights Fire Department, it said. 

In a post on the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District website, Superintendent Liz Kirby said the fire occurred behind one of the bus’s rear wheels.

“First and foremost, I can’t express how relieved I am that no one was hurt, and I am incredibly grateful for the quick response from the driver,” Kirby said in the post. “I spoke with the driver today, and they credited the annual bus evacuation drills that drivers do with students with preparing them.”

Kirby also praised the students for their calm reactions and following of directions from the driver.

The bus driver requested not to be identified.

“We are investigating the cause of the fire in partnership with the Cleveland Heights Fire Department and the state highway patrol, and we will share information when it becomes available,” Kirby said in the post. “Although bus 21 passed its annual mandated state inspection that just took place on February 14, 2025, our mechanic teams have re-inspected all buses in our fleet today out of an abundance of caution.”

This was the second school bus accident in Cleveland Heights in two days. Another occurred on Feb. 26 at the intersection of East Overlook and Lee roads, according to a press release from the city. They said it was determined that a 28-year-old man was responsible for the accident and that he has been cited.

No one was injured as a result of this accident.

The city confirmed that the two accidents were unrelated.