BELTON, Texas -- A Belton ISD school bus got stuck in a sinkhole, just before 7:40 a.m. Wednesday, Belton Police and the district confirmed.
The right side of the school bus fell partially into the hole, which opened up on Beal Street, near 9th Avenue in Belton. Bystanders snapped photos of the bus, which was leaning to one side.
Three North Belton Middle School students were on the bus, but none of them were injured; and, the driver was also unhurt, the district said. An ambulance was dispatched, just in case. Another bus picked up the students, who continued to school.
James Crawford, who lives near where the bus crashed, said he was standing on his front porch and witnessed the tires sink into the asphalt. He said the three students were able to escape safely out the back door of the bus, but the driver had trouble exiting the vehicle.
"When I looked in, the bus driver was still in there in her seatbelt," Crawford said. "I jumped in there and got up to the front and grabbed her and helped her walk out."
Crawford said the bus driver's only concern when she got out was the safety of her students.
It was not immediately clear if damage was done to the bus, according to a district spokesperson. But, the bus was taken to Cap-A-Bus in Salado, where it was scheduled to be evaluated Wednesday. BISD said it would make a decision about the vehicle's future based on that evaluation.
Minor flooding, resulting from Tuesday's morning storms, was still posing some issues near Belton ISD campuses Wednesday, but the water had not gotten inside any buildings. Instead, some water was flowing along the roads near Belton Early Childhood School and and Belton New Tech High School. However, classes were being held as normal.
