State

BRONTE, Texas (AP) — The Bronte High School girls volleyball team escaped unharmed when a fire broke out on their bus as they were returning from a game.
The 2-year-old bus sustained heavy damage in the Tuesday night fire.

High School Principal Michael Bohensky said it took just a few minutes to evacuate the bus after players saw smoke coming from the back of the motor and alerted coaches. Some textbooks and equipment were destroyed.

“It’s nothing that can’t be replaced,” Bohensky said in Wednesday’s online edition of the San Angelo Standard-Times.

The Garden City Volunteer Fire Department put out the fire and the Glasscock County school district loaned Bronte a bus to get its players home.

“What was really worrisome was that grass on both sides of the highway was burning,” Bohensky said. “And you could see the cotton fields. We had a fire extinguisher and used every bit of it. They almost got it out, but there was not enough fire extinguisher.”

The bus carried about 16 players and coaches.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.