PUYALLUP, Wash. — Less than 24 hours after two dozen school buses went up in flames in Puyallup, the school district says it now has a plan in place to make sure there are enough buses for students on the first day of school.
Key developments:
- 24 buses damaged in fire
- No reported injuries
- School district getting loaned buses for start of school
- Burned buses will eventually be replaced
The Puyallup School District officials have been getting calls from school districts across Western Washington offering to help.
>> Read the breaking story: Buses destroyed, no injuries in massive Puyallup S.D. bus barn fire
>> See photos from the fire here
“It's great having friends from other school districts," says Brian Fox, spokesperson for the Puyallup School District.
He says more than 10 school districts from across Western Washington have offered to loan their own buses to Puyallup so it will have enough buses when classes resume on Sept. 6.
Here's how they say that will happen:
- Over 16 school districts have been in contact with the Puyallup School District to offer buses on loan.
- As a result, school will start as planned on Tuesday, September 6.
- Depending on the sizes of buses loaned to Puyallup, existing routes may be altered. Beginning next week, parents should check the district website at www.puyallup.k12.wa.us for updated information about bus routes.
On Wednesday afternoon, rows of school buses at the maintenance facility off 12th Street in Puyallup went up in flames around 2:30 p.m.
Firefighters got it under control in about an hour. About 70 workers who were in the area for training were able to get out safely.
So far no word on what caused the blaze.
All the buses that were destroyed were insured and will be replaced.
Video above from breaking event on Wednesday.
One mother of three says her youngest daughter still takes the bus to school, and she’s thankful for the help from other school districts.
“It’s a godsend to have buses to take kids back and forth,” says Nikhol Urbin. “It’s great to know that the community will step up and help other schools and stuff.”
The Puyallup School District says if it gets all 26 loaned buses, the bus routes likely won’t be impacted.
District officials still urge parents to check their websites regularly for updates.
But for now, they are thankful they won’t see the first day of school pushed back.
“Families are counting on that,” says Fox. “It’s critical we start on time."
Cox Media Group
