Video shows Santa Rosa bus rescuing residents, escaping from North Bay wildfires

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Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Video shows Santa Rosa bus rescuing residents from North Bay fires
Video shows Santa Rosa bus rescuing residents from North Bay firesSmoke was thick, and nerves were frayed as residents of the Brookdale Fountaingrove Center waited to get on a CityBus on October 9.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- A lot has been written about the night the North Bay went up in flames.

But, now we are seeing a new perspective: a bus superintendent trying to save senior citizens - many in wheelchairs.

Smoke was thick, and nerves were frayed as residents of the Brookdale Fountaingrove Center waited to get on a CityBus on October 9.

The disaster was quickly unfolding, and time was at a premium.

RELATED: Body camera video shows terrifying evacuations during North Bay wildfires

There were too many wheelchairs for the bus to handle.

Rescuers had to carry and secure them as best they could.

Passengers were terrified.

Then came the hard part: getting to shelter.

RELATED: Santa Rosa senior residents of The Orchard file class action lawsuit after fires

Fires surrounded the roadway. Flames were consuming every home.

Steve Roraus told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat it felt like a "big witch's cauldron."

CityBus helped evacuate hundreds of people that night.

The so-called Tubbs fire burned parts of Napa, Sonoma and Lake counties.

It was the most destructive wildfire in California history.

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