Hero Off-Duty NYPD Officer Saves Driver, Aide From Burning School Bus on Long Island

An off-duty NYPD officer saved a bus driver and an aide from a burning school bus that burst into flames after rear-ending a tractor-trailer on the Long Island Expressway Thursday, authorities say. 

Officer Christopher Canale was driving on the highway westbound near exit 69 around 3:30 p.m. when he saw the bus and truck involved in the accident. The bus was engulfed in flames and smoke, authorities said.

Canale pulled his vehicle over, pried open the door to the bus and saw the driver was pinned. Fearing there were children still on the bus, he asked the driver if anyone else was on the bus and the driver said an aide was on board.
The officer called out to the aide, whom he could not see due to the smoke, and told her to start walking toward the sound of his voice.

Canale was able to meet the aide halfway down the aisle, grab hold of her and get her off the bus. He then went to the driver’s side door and managed to pull the driver out of the vehicle.

The conditions of the driver and aide weren't immediately clear, and it wasn't known what caused the accident. It wasn't known if the tractor-trailer driver was injured.

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