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OAK CREEK, Wis. - A paratransit van was deemed a total loss, and another vehicle was damaged, after it caught fire in Oak Creek on Tuesday, Sept. 15.
Fire details
What we know:
It happened around 2 p.m. in the parking lot of Lake Forest One Apartments, near Chicago and Forest Hill. Police said the van's driver noticed a chemical smell and saw smoke coming from the dashboard vents. He carried his only passenger, who is disabled, off the van just as the bus went into flames.
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The van was deemed a total loss, valued at around $70,000. The passenger's motorized wheelchair, estimated at $3,700, was also lost. Another vehicle in the parking was damaged, having melted rear lights and paint damage.
No injuries were reported.
What we don't know:
It's not clear how the fire started or how long it took to extinguish.
MCTS statement
What they're saying:
MCTS statement on paratransit vehicle fire:
"MCTS is grateful for the quick actions of the paratransit vehicle driver following a vehicle fire Tuesday at approximately 2 p.m. in a parking lot in the 8500 block of S. Chicago Road in Oak Creek.
"The driver safely evacuated the vehicle’s sole passenger, and neither the passenger nor driver reported injuries. The vehicle and the passenger’s mobility device were a total loss.
"MCTS will continue working with Transdev, which owns the vehicle and employs the driver, as the cause of the fire remains under investigation."
Oak Creek school bus fire; 2 kids removed, no injuries
A school bus caught on fire in Oak Creek. The driver removed two children from the bus before it burst into flames, according to police.
The Source: Information is from the Oak Creek Police Department and MCTS.