Quaker Valley Recognizes Bus Driver's Actions at Deadly Aleppo Fire

Quaker Valley Assistant Superintendent Heidi Ondek presented Crystal Richards with a certificate and a brass bookmark at Tuesday's board meeting to recognize the district bus driver for taking swift action at the scene of a November house fire.

Richards appeared reluctant to take any credit for coming to the aid of an Aleppo Township couple whose house was that killed one of the homeowners.

“When I went up the hill, there were already people there,” Richards of Sewickley told the .

High school students, however, told Sewickley Patch it was Richards who stopped to call 911 on her cell phone after her bus carrying students came upon the fire about 3:20 p.m. in the Ferndale Avenue area.

Steven Dumek and Rocco Brown described seeing black smoke rising from 101 Ferndale Ave., as Richards drove them home from school through the neighborhood to their stop. They realized what was happening and said she called for help.

Arthur Hoston, 91, escaped from the burning home but suffered severe burns on his arms and face. His wife, , 81, also known as “Polly,” didn’t make it out of the residence. She died from burns and smoke inhalation, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office.

Investigators say a flammable liquid put in a kerosene heater caused the fire.

Richards said she only did what anyone placed in the same scenario would do.

“I can’t imagine anybody just driving past,” she said.