Omaha Public School officials are praising two sixth grade students for helping nearly 20 other students evacuate a school bus this morning. District spokesperson Luanne Nelson says their bus driver blacked out behind the wheel at 55th and Mayberry Streets. The bus hit a traffic sign, rolled into a yard and was stopped by an evergreen tree.

Nelson says another bus driving by went immediately to Washington Elementary School to report the incident. Staff from the school walked to the nearby accident site to help. She says two sixth grade girls had opened the bus emergency exit and had already helped the younger students to safety. The students were checked out by the school nurse and are ok.

The bus driver was taken to a hospital in serious condition.

The city of Ralston, especially members on the Ralston Fire Department are in shock after the suspected suicide of Chief Kyle Ienn. Around 7:30 this morning Omaha police were called to a pedestrian bridge along the Keystone Trail at 70th and Pine to investigate reports of a body hanging from under that bridge. When officers arrived they found a red Ralston Fire Department Suburban parked on the bridge.

They have identified the man as long time Ralston Fire Chief Kyle Ienn. Ralston Mayor Don Groesser says Ienn served the city of Ralston for 21 years and 7 months and did a wonderful job developing a great team of volunteer firefighters. Ienn served more than 10 years as Fire Chief and was a member of the Department Honor Guard.

Ralston Fire Department PIO Tom Negley says Ienn grew up in Ralston and joined the fire department right out of high school. Negley stated that Ienn also served on many committees.

Ienn also managed an Ace Hardware Store at 55th and Center in Omaha. Police continue to investigate just to make sure of no foul play.

A nine-year-old boy from Dix, Nebraska, is safe after being found by a volunteer searcher.

The Kimball County Sheriff’s Office confirms Sam Carejo left his home at 4:00 Tuesday afternoon to go shoot his BB gun, but got disoriented when darkness came.

He was found by a volunteer searcher approximately five miles east of his home on a county road four hours later.

Sheriff Harry Gillway says the boy was taken to a local hospital for precaution and was released. He was a little cold but otherwise uninjured.

The temperature was 18 degrees during the time the boy was missing with wind chills as low as six degrees.

Sheriff Gillway says 22 volunteers joined the search effort in addition to law enforcement, which included a Nebraska State Patrol plane using infrared technology.

An Air Force helicopter was en route to the area to help search but the boy was found prior to the chopper’s arrival.

Gillway says he’s very thankful for all of the assistance from everyone involved in the search. He said, “Volunteers saved a life last night.”

Dave Collins, KSID, Sidney

A 12 year old boy and his 18 year old sister were alone in their south Bellevue home around 7:30 this morning when they saw flames coming from a bedroom. Battalion Chief Joe Gibilisco says the two were able to escape when the fire got out of control.

No one was hurt but two cats died in the fire. The blaze caused 50 to 60-thousand dollars in damage and the home can not be lived in. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.