Heroes in the Fields: Two California Farmers Rescue Dozens of Children from Burning Bus

Burned school bus
Burned school bus Photo by FMT licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Two California farmers were recently recognized for their heroic actions in rescuing more than 20 students from a burning school bus.

Before firefighters from the Madera County Fire Department could reach the scene, Angel Zarco and Carlos Perea spotted smoke rising from the back of the bus—before even the driver noticed. Acting quickly, the two rushed to alert the driver and helped usher every student to safety just moments before the flames consumed the vehicle.

At a Madera County Board of Supervisors meeting, Zarco and Perea were honored as community heroes who embodied “the very highest standards” of courage and selflessness.

“We just wanted to make sure the kids were far enough away so nobody got hurt,” Zarco recalled. “The bus went up in flames within two or three minutes—it all happened so fast.”

Division Chief Larry Pendarvis of Cal Fire praised their quick response, noting, “Buses can be replaced. Lives cannot.”

“We can’t thank you enough for stepping in before our crews arrived,” he said in an interview with ABC30 Action News.

Reflecting on the moment, Perea said he believes it was divine timing that put them at that intersection that morning. Seeing his daughter in the audience as he was honored by the community, he added, was one of the proudest moments of his life.