Bus carrying Iowa minor league baseball team catches fire on the way to next series

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - A bus taking the Sioux City Explorers to their next game in Illinois caught fire early Friday morning.

The Earlham Fire Department said the bus had a mechanical issue and caught fire at around 2:45 a.m.

The highway between Earlham and I-80 was closed for about three hours while crews worked to put out the fire. The bus is a total loss.

Sioux City Explorers’ pitcher and State Representative J.D. Scholten shared pictures of the bus fire on Facebook that shows the members of the team, having safely evacuated, looking on as crews extinguish the fire.

“The good news is everyone is safe,” Scholten said in the post. “But our bus caught on fire at around 3 am on our way to Kane County. Minor league bus trips are notorious for bus issues… Huge shoutout to the Earlham Fire Department (volunteers!!!).”

Scholten also added that the team is back on the road onboard another bus.

A team spokesperson released a statement to KTIV, saying the team boarded their new bus west of Des Moines at around 5:45 a.m.

“We are relieved to report that everyone involved in the recent bus fire is safe and unharmed,” said Sioux City Explorers Manager, Steve Montgomery, told KTIV. “The safety of our players and staff is our top priority, and we are thankful that no one was injured in this incident. We are working closely with authorities to determine the cause of the fire and ensure that all necessary steps are taken to prevent future incidents. We appreciate the support and concern from our fans and the community during this time. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Thank you for your understanding.”

Correction: A former version of this story said the team was headed to Kansas City, the article has been corrected with the team heading to Illinois.

The Earlham Fire Department also shared pictures of the bus after the fire was extinguished.