Hero on route: DART bus operator alerts family to fire in Des Moines
A workday became eventful for Rhonda Taylor
By Nicole Tam
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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A workday became eventful for Rhonda Taylor, a Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) bus operator. She noticed something didn’t look right when she drove through an East Des Moines neighborhood last week and came across a cloud of billowing smoke coming from a home. She honked a few times but saw no response.
“I jumped out the bus, I ran over, I started banging on the door, the windows and everything to make noise for somebody to come out,” Taylor described.
Des Moines Fire Department crews were called and quickly extinguished the fire. The homeowner shared that the fire started from hot cooking oil. Now, a corner of the carport is charred and the soil has burn marks, but the home had no damage.
“I was so relieved. I was so happy because I was afraid that — and I wasn’t sure if people were in there or not. And I just wanted to get them out,” Taylor said.
Taylor has been with DART since last December. She says watching her surroundings and staying alert were both important lessons during training.
“It was a scary moment for me, but I just didn’t have time to think. I just had to react,” Taylor said.
The homeowner told KCCI he was sleeping at the time of the fire. He’s grateful Taylor and another neighbor stopped by to let him know what happened. Besides a little damage, no one was hurt.
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