by ISANTI, Minn. — A frightening moment unfolded Friday morning when a school bus carrying 18 middle and high school students rolled onto its side near Isanti. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
According to Cambridge-Isanti School District Superintendent Nate Rudolph, the bus was traveling along a gravel road near County Road 5 Northwest and Potassium Street Northwest when the shoulder gave way. Recent rainfall had softened the ground, causing the bus to slowly tip into a nearby swampy ditch.
“The shoulder gave way, and it had a slow tip into a ditch—it was kind of a swampy area,” Rudolph explained.
Freshman Kaden Hansen was one of the students on board and quickly jumped into action.
“I opened the emergency door and helped a few people. I jumped out and helped a few people down,” Hansen recalled. “I just saw there was water, and I didn’t know if we fell into a lake or something. I just went straight there to make sure we got out in time.”
The bus incident has sparked a renewed focus on rural road safety—particularly in states like Wyoming, where gravel and unpaved roads are common and can become hazardous after heavy rainfall. Transportation officials in Wyoming and elsewhere are reminding drivers and school districts to exercise extra caution during spring and summer rain events.
The Cambridge-Isanti School District confirmed that the bus will return to service soon after a thorough inspection. In the meantime, all students have been accounted for and are safe.
