ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (KWQC) – Eight retired MetroLINK buses in Rock Island caught fire after a high-voltage line caught on Monday afternoon during severe storms.
It happened on 25th Ave. and 7th St. at about 1:40 p.m.
According to the Fire Marshal with the Rock Island Fire Dept., when the power line snapped, one of the buses caught fire. The buses are powered by natural gas tanks on the roof, causing “small explosions” and the fire spread to all eight buses when each tank released gas, the Fire Marshal said. He said it would spread to every bus in a few minutes.
The Rock Island Fire Dept. focused efforts on the safety of neighboring homes and evacuated people to the Frances Willard Elementary School. One of the challenges was evacuations occurred in the heart of the storm, according to the Fire Marshal.
“It was definitely one of the most challenging fires where you can deal with all those circumstances happening at the exact same time,” said firefighter Greg Marty.
None of the audience like Rock Island Fire Dept was injured.
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