4 buses burn at Ill. elementary school

Sheriff's deputies and fire personnel respond to a report of buses on fire and find four school buses aflame in the school's parking lot. Officials are considering the fire suspicious in nature but are not labeling it arson.

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October 4, 2011

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ELGIN, Ill. — Kane County sheriff's deputies and Pingree Grove fire personnel responding to a report of buses on fire on Friday found four school buses aflame in the Prairie View Grade School parking lot.

By the time fire personnel were able to extinguish the fire, all four buses were a total loss.

Central Community Unit School District 301 officials were contacted and responded to the scene. School officials along with sheriff's deputies inspected the school to ensure that the damage was limited to the buses and that the school was secure.

The school suffered no damage, and nothing suspicious was located. The school was able to open on time, and different buses assumed the routes of the damaged buses.

Sheriff's detectives are working with members of the Kane County Fire Investigations Task Force and State Fire Marshal to determine what caused the fire. Currently, officials are considering the fire suspicious in nature but are not labeling it arson.

No one has been taken into custody for the incident, and the fire remains under investigation.

The school district did not yet have a damage estimate for the buses.

Topics:bus fires Illinois Safety

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