BookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxFilledCheckBoxCircleBumpCheckedFilledMedical

Pregnant Driver Saves Students From Burning Bus

At eight months pregnant, Imunek Williams jumped into action to save more than 30 students who were aboard her bus after it randomly began smoking and then went up in flames.
save article
profile picture of Wyndi Kappes
By Wyndi Kappes, Associate Editor
Published June 6, 2023

In the face of an emergency, you can count on Mom to keep her cool and look out for those who need help. It’s that “motherly instinct” that helped Milwaukee bus driver Imunek Williams jump into action when the bus she was driving started to smoke and then caught fire.

At 8 months pregnant, Williams was having a routine day picking up students for their day at the Milwaukee Academy of Science when just a short way from her last stop, she noticed an odd smell and smoke. While she initially tried to call dispatch, the smoke hitting her in the face and eyes kept her from communicating clearly. “I was just like, ‘OK forget the radio. I’ll just get the kids off the bus,’” she told NBC Milwaukee affiliate WTMJ.

“I think that’s when it was like my mommy instincts kicked in really fast and I was just like OK come on mom let’s do it, let’s get off the bus,” Williams said. Within moments the mom-to-be quickly and calmly made sure all 30 students exited the bus.

“I was the last person off once I get off, I turned around and I just seen flames. I wanted to make sure that I was safe, baby was safe and you know if it was my kid on the bus I would’ve wanted one of the bus drivers to act the same way that I did,” she said. “I just feel like I had to stay calm. Like, it was my job to stay calm.”

An emergency response team arrived on the scene quickly after and all of the students were cleared with no injuries reported. Williams was transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation as a precaution but she and baby are now doing just fine.

save article
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

Lala Kent at the RHOBH Star Sutton Stracke's Fashion Show for Her Sutton Brands Green Label Capsule Collection held at The Godfrey Hotel on July 22, 2024 in Los Angeles California
Lala Kent on Her New Show, Delivery Room Party Plans & Pregnancy Woes
By Wyndi Kappes
smiling pregnant woman looking at smartphone while standing in kitchen at home
The Bump App Introduces New Journal Feature
By Wyndi Kappes
lala kent at her daughter's third birthday party
Lala Kent Reveals Baby No. 2’s Sex and VPR Castmates Reactions
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
woman shopping for flowy dress
How to Keep Your Pregnancy a Secret in the First Trimester
Fact Checked by G. O’Hara
Harry Styles performs on stage during The BRIT Awards 2023 at The O2 Arena on February 11, 2023 in London, England
Harry Styles Stalls Concert So Pregnant Mom Can Go Pee
By Wyndi Kappes
close up of smiling mother cuddling baby
How Getting Lost in Motherhood Helped Me Find Myself
By Christine Carpenter
Gold medalist Mallory Weggemann of Team United States poses during the women’s 200m individual medley - SM7 medal ceremony on day 3 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on August 27, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan
Paralympian Mallory Weggemann Swims at Nationals Six Months Pregnant
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
27 slides
The Best Movies to Watch While Pregnant
The Best Movies to Watch While Pregnant
By Holly Pevzner
close up of pregnant person holding belly
Where to Shop for Gender-Neutral Pregnancy Clothing
By Ashley Zielger
Pregnant Bindi Irwin with her husband Chandler and a giraffe in the background at the zoo.
Bindi Irwin on Pregnancy, Baby Names and Carrying on Her Father’s Legacy
By Lauren Kay
ADVERTISEMENT
illustrated pregnant woman with her hands up in anger
5 Things a Pregnant Woman Never Wants to Hear
By The Bump Editors
happy pregnant woman standing in the sun against neutral background
How to Change Your Last Name Before Baby Arrives
By The Bump Editors
black and white image of woman and doctor's hands looking at sonogram
US Birth Rates Hit Their Lowest Level in 35 Years, CDC Reports
By Nehal Aggarwal
ADVERTISEMENT
The Worst Things to Say to a Pregnant Woman
The Worst Things to Say to a Pregnant Woman
By Caitlin Brody
couple looking away over body of water
CDC: Birth Rates in the US Have Reached an All-Time Low
By Stephanie Grassullo
woman in her third trimester of pregnancy
There’s Finally Science to Prove That Pregnant Women Need Their Personal Space
By Stephanie Grassullo
mid-section of couple holding hands and walking
CDC: Birth Rates in the US Haven’t Been This Low in More Than Three Decades
By Stephanie Grassullo
ADVERTISEMENT
meghan markle in new york city for her baby shower
Meghan Markle's NYC Baby Shower Stirs Convincing Theories on the Royal Baby's Sex
By Stephanie Grassullo
Women in their 30s are having more babies than younger women.
For the First Time Ever, Women in Their 30s Are Having More Babies Than Younger Women
By Stephanie Grassullo
meghan markle's birth location is revealed
The Lindo Wing Is Reportedly Prepping for Meghan Markle's Delivery
By Stephanie Grassullo
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.