Up In Flames

A driver rescues 34 children from
Bais Menachem's burning bus.

LYNNE MEREDITH COHN STAFF WRITER

T

hanks to driver Clarence
Martin, 16 children were
whisked off a Bais Men-
achem school bus last week
before the vehicle went up in
flames. The driver attempted to
retrieve school bags that had
been left on board, but a parent
kept him from returning.
The preschool students were
on their way home to Oak Park
last Monday when the bus
caught fire, between 1:30 and 2
p.m., according to Chaya Berg-
stein, director of Bais Menachem.
Bais Menachem, a first- and
second-grade school which grew
out of Chabad's nursery school,
is currently housed at Bais
Chabad of Farmington Hills, at
32000 Middlebelt Road. The
school educates a total of 51 chil-
dren.
Bais Chabad used the bus and
a van to transport children from
Oak Park and Southfield to the
Bais Menachem school, said Rab-
bi Chaim Moshe Bergstein, di-
rector of Bais Chabad of

Farmington Hills. The fire oc-
curred in front of a residence on
Raine Street in Oak Park.
Even though the 1986 Ford
bus was insured, the policy
"doesn't cover replacement — it
covers whatever the value of the
bus was, minus the deductible,"
according to Rabbi Bergstein.
That amount is just enough for a
down payment on a new bus.
His son, Rabbi Yitzchok Berg-
stein, said they do not know how
much money Chabad will receive
from insurance, as inspectors had
not looked at the burned vehicle
by late last week.
The younger Rabbi Bergstein
spoke to Oak Park police officials.
While the cause of the fire is un-
known, he said it could not have
been arson.
The bus had not had a state
safety inspection since Chabad
acquired it, according to Rabbi
Yitzchok Bergstein. Part of the
police investigation will include
"looking into if anything was ne-
glected." The bus was donated

thanksgiving feast. The
dinner was also held to
publicly acknowledge the
people who led the chil-
dren to safety, she said.
Rabbi Bergstein intends
to "first of all, reinforce the
need to listen to their su-
periors, especially in time
of danger. The teachers
will be instructed to talk
with the children about
what happened and about
their fears.
"We really have to offer
thanks to God — it's amaz-
ing that the bus was to-
talled in such a short time
and yet [there were] no in-
juries at all," Rabbi Berg-
stein said. "Had it been on
Rabbi Yitzchok Bergstein stands in the center of the burned-out bus.
PHOTO BY DANIEL LIPPITT
the street, while the bus
was driving, God forbid, a
just over a year ago, and to their go up in flames, the parents
minute later, who knows what
knowledge everything was in fine would not want to risk another would have happened?"
condition then, he said.
older bus; [they would] want
Chabad will be commending
`The fire began at the front end something much newer," Rabbi
the bus driver and Miriam Lange,
[of the bus]." Smelling smoke, the Chaim Bergstei$ said. Rabbi
the other adult who was on the
driver, Clarence Martin, lifted Yitzchok Bergstein estimated
bus. 'The bus driver lost his coat,
the hood and saw some flames. that a new bus' would cost ap-
which we replaced. During the
He immediately asked the assis- proximately $30,000.
time until we replace the bus, we
tant on the bus to help get all the
Despite its age, "the bus was a are going to be paying his wages,
kids out. They carried off some good bus. We got it from a com-
because he shouldn't be penal-
kids who were sleeping.
pany that'is into bussing; it was ized," Rabbi Bergstein said.
"By the time he got all the kids something they would them-
off the bus, the front was in selves use. We were able to keep
wishing to help
flames," said Rabbi Yitzchok the bus in good working order."
Chabad replace the bug can call
Bergstein.
Last Saturday night, Chabad
(810) 855-2910.
Since "the children saw the bus hosjed a seudas hodaah, or

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