Early in the morning, Gustav Pfaffenbichler saw smoke rising from the yard of a family home while driving the bus. He responded in the right way and thus became a lifesaver.
Gustav Pfaffenbichler was on his way to The Hague early in the morning with a bus full of children and young people when the observant bus driver suddenly saw smoke rising from the garden of a house. “Is anyone grilling? Before 7 a.m.?” asked the professional driver. To be on the safe side, Pfaffenbichler parked the school bus in a safe place and climbed over the six-foot garden fence.
What he saw behind it set alarm bells ringing: all the garden furniture was already on fire and the fire threatened to spread to the inside of the house. The bus driver furiously banged on the doors of the house to warn the residents. They hadn’t even noticed. Homeowner Andreas Wagner was awakened from his sleep, his girlfriend was in the bathroom. Together they managed to put out the fire before the fire brigade arrived. The damage could be kept to a minimum, “only” the facade, wood paneling and windows were affected. “Everything can be fixed quickly,” says Wagner gratefully.
All the way back in the driver’s seat
While the fire brigade was still searching for embers, Pfaffenbichler, who used to be a firefighter himself, was already back on the bus and took the young passengers to school. Only in a roundabout way could the homeowner find out who the courageous first responder was, to whom he possibly owes his life. During the debriefing there was an emotional reunion.
In any case, the fire service is full of praise for the bus driver. “Be honest: how many would stop and help? Or even climb a two-meter high wall to take a look?” says Johannes Stöffelbauer, deputy commander of the Pinnersdorf fire brigade.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
