Ridgemont Local Schools students and staff got an unexpected lesson in heroism Thursday—though thankfully, no one was hurt.
K–2 students were returning from a performance of The Little Mermaid at the Holland Theatre in Bellefontaine when bus drivers spotted smoke curling from the roof of a home at 3405 East State Route 273 in Rushsylvania, just inside the Logan County line near Hardin County.
According to Logan County Auditor Jack Reser, the home is owned by Rita Rowe.
The fire was reported just before 11:30 a.m.
Without hesitation, drivers and a few teachers sprang into action, alerting the residents and helping them safely get out of the house.
At the time, the fire wasn’t actively raging, and everyone escaped unharmed.
Students got a front-row view of the smoke—but stayed calm and supervised throughout.
Fire crews from both Hardin and Logan counties—including Bellefontaine, Huntsville Volunteer, Richland Township, Ridgeway, Kenton, Rushcreek, Southeast Hardin Northeast Union Fire District, and Bokescreek—worked seamlessly together to control the blaze.
It took several hours and more than two dozen firefighters to fully contain the fire.
Brian Hogan, Ridgemont Superintendent, issued this statement:
“Today proved that Ridgemont Local Schools has truly great staff and students. I want to publicly commend the staff members who leaped into action today to help save lives. While their actions were heroic, I am not surprised by the individuals who stepped up to help, this is the heart of the Ridgemont community.”
The cause of the blaze is currently under investigation, and more details will be released as they become available.
