A youth group from the Iglesia de Dios Ebenezer congregation in Snellville, Georgia, narrowly escaped a devastating bus fire while on their way home from a church camp in Simpsonville. The group, consisting of 31 kids and 5 adults, were just 20 minutes into their journey when the bus started shaking and jolting, prompting the driver to pull over and evacuate everyone on board.
Quick Action Saves Lives
According to youth leader Grisel Torres, the group’s priority was to get everyone off the bus quickly, as they didn’t know if it was going to explode. The campers, aged 13 to 24, showed remarkable maturity and character in the face of danger, helping to salvage what they could from the fire and assisting each other in a time of need.
The Anderson County 911 dispatch center received 17 calls from onlookers who witnessed the smoke and fire spreading through the bus. Volunteer firefighters from the Wren Fire District arrived at the scene, along with other first responders, and battled the blaze. The group was eventually offered shelter at a nearby Love’s truck stop, where they waited for another charter bus to take them home.
Despite the traumatic experience, the kids are in good spirits and have even started making jokes to heal from the chaos. However, many of their belongings, including luggage, medication, and electronics, were lost in the fire. The group has started a GoFundMe fundraiser to support their recovery.
Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
