Pennsylvania district reopens after fire destroys 16 school buses

Classes resumed Monday in a Pennsylvania school district despite the loss of nearly a quarter of the district's buses last week in an intense fire.

The Allentown Morning Call reports that despite the damage to its vehicles, the Parkland district was able to welcome students back Monday morning.

The district canceled classes Friday after the fire broke out overnight near Orefield Middle School in a bus garage behind the district's football stadium. Sixteen buses were destroyed, and about a dozen more sustained minor damage. No injuries were reported.

The loss is expected to be in the millions; each bus cost about $90,000. Fire officials are still investigating what caused the fire, but they say there is no reason to believe the cause of the fire was suspicious.

Parkland was able to reopen its schools Monday because it obtained temporary buses from two of its vendors, and district mechanics worked through the weekend to repair the buses that suffered minor damage such as broken windshields, headlights and mirrors.

Superintendent Richard Sniscak says the district also has eight reserve buses that will be used for transporting students.

The vehicles destroyed in the fire were newer buses, officials said, and all were under warranty and insured. 

Many districts in the area outsource transportation, but Parkland still maintains its own bus fleet.