Heroic Year 9 student stops runaway school bus from hitting a petrol station

“The principal said that if Izzy hadn't acted the way she did that day, he would have been making some very different phone calls,” said proud mum Rebecca. 

A school bus was sitting with 20 students inside at Casino in NSW, parked on the corner of Frederick Street and Queensland Road. 

The driver was outside for a brief moment when the bus started to move, creeping slowly down the hill and towards a petrol station where several people were refilling their cars.

Year 9 student Izzy was sitting on the bus when she realised what was happening and sprung into action. 

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The bus was hurdling towards the petrol station. Source: ABC

Teen steers bus away from oncoming petrol station

“I looked over to talk to my friend, turned back over for like two seconds, and the bus started moving,” the student told ABC. 

She looked at the driver’s seat and realised no one was there, but the bus was still moving down the road and barreling towards the petrol pumps. 

“It was heading near the petrol tank, and no one was doing anything, so I jumped up, got into action and steered it away,” she said. 

The 14yo launched into the driver’s seat and pressed her foot on what she hoped were the brakes. 

After successfully finding the brakes, she pressed them again and successfully steered the bus through the station’s parking area and around the corner, thankfully avoiding anyone in the process. 

The terrifying moment was captured on CCTV, showing the bus hurdling towards the building as onlookers tried to assist. 

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Izzy has been hailed as a hero for her quick-thinking. Source: ABC

“If that bus had hit the bowser, worse case, it would have blown”

The teen’s quick thinking prevented the bus from crashing directly into the petrol station, potentially saving lives in the process. 

“The [school] principal said that if Izzy hadn't acted the way she did that day, he would have been making some very different phone calls,” her mum Rebecca told ABC. 

It wasn’t just the school principal offering praise to the Year 9 student; Erin Witton, the owner of the petrol station, was equally as thankful for the teen’s intelligence. 

“I had a guy pumping gas at the time. If that bus had hit the bowser, worse case, it would have blown,” Erin said. 

Richmond Police District have been informed of the incident and have launched an investigation. 

Originally published as Heroic Year 9 student stops runaway school bus from hitting a petrol station