Hero Mom Saves School Kids From New York Bus Inferno

(New York -WABC, Feb. 15, 2005) -- Dark smoke was shooting from a school bus when an alert mother saw what was happening. What she did next likely saved five young lives.

Jameelah Elshabazz Dudley, Parent: "You send your kids off to school thinking they're gunna be safe, and to find something like this happening. She's just an angel - she's heaven sent."

An angel whose never been to the West Harlem Headstart program, never met any of the toddlers here - until Monday morning when Dulce Paulino crossed paths with the children in the most unusual way.

Dulce Paulino, Rescued Kids: "What was it like on the bus? All children, it was heat coming out, children sitting were sitting down quietly."

Paulino was standing in a crosswalk at East Gunhill and Wayne when she says she first heard a strong noise and then looked over and saw flames shooting out from underneath the school bus.

No one realized, they were minutes away from a fiery explosion would have killed the driver, an aid and four children on board. Without wasting a second, Paulino began banging on the school bus door.

Dulce Paulino: "I looked at him and I realized he didn't know what was going on. He was really in danger."

This mother of twins credits her maternal instinct for what she did next - grabbed all 4 kids, under the age of 5 and helped them off the bus. Less than a minute later, the driver ran back to the bus to get the fire extinguisher.

Dulce Paulino: "I said come on - it's going to explode, there's no time for that. Then he went, I went and then the explosion came out."

Roberto Carrillo watched everything from inside Montefiore Medical Center where many of Paulino's co-workers are proud of what she did.

Roberto Carrillo/Co-Worker: "She's brave. I mean she's Supermom."

It's still not clear what caused the bus to catch fire. The city is investigating and the owners had no comment. As for Paulino - would she do it again? She tells me in a heartbeat.