Explosion damages seven school buses in Louisiana

The Ouachita Parish Schools transportation supervisor said a bus exploded at the district's garage and the blaze spread to seven other buses. Employees were able to move other buses to contain the fire.

WEST MONROE, Louisiana (Monroe News Star) July 23, 2010 -- The Ouachita Parish Schools transportation supervisor said when a bus exploded the evening of July 21 at the district’s garage on Thomas Road in West Monroe, Louisiana the noise could be heard on Well Road nearly 3 miles away.

A resident of the neighborhood reported the fire at about 11 p.m. The buses were parked behind a locked fence at the garage and had not been driven in the past two weeks.

The official said the blaze spread to three buses parked beside the first and eventually included seven. Employees were able to move other buses to prevent the fire from spreading.

The transportation supervisor said the vehicles, which now are “just a black shell,” were some of the newer buses in the district’s fleet.

With the start of school just over three weeks away replacing the buses will be a challenge. The buses served mainly West Monroe High School and West Ridge Middle school. Although the district has extra buses in its fleet, the official said that it is necessary to have additional buses available at all times in case of emergencies on the road or activity trips.

The Ouachita Parish fire investigator said the cause of the fire, which he believes could be arson or electrical, is under investigation. The transportation supervisor places the value of the buses destroyed at $650,000.

Link: http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20100723/NEWS01/7230315

Source: DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report