(PHOTO PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
Firefighters from several area departments rushed to Love’s Travel Stop in Edon during the morning hours of Wednesday, April 23, after reports of a school bus fire at the popular truck stop along Ohio Route 49.
The call came in around 10:25 a.m., with initial responders finding the bus engulfed in flames upon arrival. Departments from Northwest Township, Florence Township, Montpelier, and Bryan were all on scene to extinguish the fire, quickly working together to ensure the flames didn’t spread further.
Crews from Fremont and Angola fire departments were also dispatched but were canceled en-route as firefighters on scene managed to bring the blaze under control.
According to fire officials, the bus used liquid propane as its fuel source, which contributed to the intensity of the fire.
Despite the danger posed by propane, emergency responders successfully contained the flames to the bus itself and its fuel tanks, narrowly preventing damage to a propane refilling station nearby.
Thankfully, no one was hurt in the incident. The bus was not carrying any students, as it was being transported from Nebraska to Pennsylvania, with only the transport driver on board at the time. The driver safely exited the vehicle before emergency crews arrived.
Firefighters remained on scene until around 12:30 p.m., ensuring the fire was completely extinguished and the area was safe for customers.
As of now, fire officials say the cause of the fire remains unclear and may remain that way due to the amount of damage done to the bus.