The fire reportedly started in the engine compartment of the Poland (Ohio) Local Schools bus. No one was on board the bus when it caught fire. Photo courtesy Western Reserve Joint Fire District
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The fire reportedly started in the engine compartment of the Poland (Ohio) Local Schools bus. No one was on board the bus when it caught fire. Photo courtesy Western Reserve Joint Fire District
POLAND, Ohio — A school bus here caught fire on Tuesday morning, WYTV reports.
The school bus, which belongs to Poland Local Schools, reportedly caught fire just after 5 a.m. at the district’s transportation facility on Dobbins Rd., according to the news source. Chief Chip Comstock from Western Reserve Joint Fire District told WYTV that the bus was locked behind a gate, and crews had to use a deck gun to get to the fire, which was located within the bus’s engine compartment. Comstock added that the deck gun kept the fire from reaching other buses in the facility; however, one bus sustained minimal heat and smoke damage. No one was on the bus at the time, and no injuries were reported, according to the news source.
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Fire crews told WYTV that the bus’s engine block, which was plugged in overnight due to cold temperatures, may have malfunctioned. Comstock added that because of the amount of damage to the engine compartment, it may be difficult to determine the cause of the fire.
Officials from Poland Local Schools told the news source that three buses are currently out of service, but the district has enough spare buses in its fleet and no routes will be impacted. The bus that caught fire has been deemed a total loss, according to WYTV.
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