The Ohio school bus driver explained the scene after saving 15 students from a burning school bus.

Dorian Pace, a bus driver for the Cleveland Heights University Heights School District, was driving a group of middle schools on February 27 when he heard the loud boom under the vehicle. I said Good Morning America (GMA) on ABC.

“In fact, it felt like the bus was about to explode,” he said. “When I pulled [the bus] At the end I actually heard another boom and saw smoke coming from the right rear tire. And I saw the flames. ”

Pace told the outlet that he entered what he declared was “bus evacuation mode” the moment he observed the flames. (Related: School Bus Driver’s Seat Prediction Rescue 9 Children from Fire: Report)

“In my mind, it was, ‘You can’t lose a child,'” he said. “So I quickly let everyone off the bus. The fire was coming from the rear right, so we all left the normal front door.”

All students on board were unharmed. Pace and students said some people were not aware of the seriousness of the fire until it spread quickly across the bus.

Pace said his prayers were answered on the day of the incident.

“I pray on the bus every day. I try to pray before I pick up the kids, and God just answered my prayers,” he told GMA.

“I saw little girls on the bus every day. After she got on the bus, I heard a big boom. I looked out the window and saw flames coming from the side of the bus,” local Maureen Ottoman said. I said ABC Affiliate Wews.

“There were some booms,” said seventh grader Britt Mosby. “The bus driver said, ‘Everyone gets off the bus.’ That was when we ran from there and the bus just lit it. We were all scared. We called our parents. Luckily, the bus driver dropped us off safely. ”

“Knowing that there are men and women in this character, you feel the level of comfort that you’re putting your kids on one of your school’s buses,” Ohio Public Safety Director Andy Wilson told Pace.

Officials told the outlet they believe the fire had been lit behind the wheels and that investigations are still underway to determine the exact cause.

The school district said the bus passed the test two weeks before the incident. They are now planning to carefully reconsider the entire bus fleet in the district.