SONIC EMPLOYEES RECOGNIZED. Employees from the Sullivan Sonic, 565 West Springfield Rd., were recognized by LifeCare Center for helping aid their residents in a reported bus fire on Thursday at the business. The employees helped get the residents off the bus and inside their building. LifeCare Center sent flowers to the business for their help. The fire was determined to be a busted radiator hose.

By James B. Bartle
What appeared to be a fire in a LifeCare Center senior citizen bus on Thursday at 11 a.m. turned out to be a busted radiator hose; but to employees of the Sullivan Sonic, 565 W. Springfield Rd., and the driver and passengers on the bus, it could have been worse.
The LifeCare bus was traveling down West Springfield Rd. when it pulled into the Sullivan Sonic with what appeared to be smoke coming from under the hood.
Mary Hulsey, the bus driver, along with a staff member quickly exited the vehicle and began evacuating the passengers.
Sullivan Sonic employees observed what was happening from inside their business and quickly exited the building to help.
“The bus pulled in to our business with what appeared to be smoke coming from under the hood,” said Jessica Wilson, co-owner of the business. “We went outside to help Mary and the passengers get off the bus and inside our building. We really thought it was catching fire and wanted to make sure everyone was safe and calm. We helped them get in the wheelchairs and pushed them inside.”
Sullivan Police, Missouri Baptist Ambulance and Sullivan Fire quickly responded to the scene and determined that a busted radiator hose was the cause of the smoke, which was steam coming from the vehicle.
Wilson stated that LifeCare Center had sent flowers to the business on Friday due to Sonic’s efforts to help.
“It was really nice that they appreciated what we were able to do,” said Wilson. “We just wanted to help them.”