A 15-year-old girl is facing charges after a bus carrying the Kane County Cougars was set on fire and destroyed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, early Thursday morning. No injuries were reported, and the team’s next travel plans to Fargo, North Dakota, were quickly adju
Early Thursday, the Kane County Cougars’ trip in Winnipeg ended with flames.
The team’s bus was set on fire and destroyed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and a 15-year-old girl is facing charges related to arson, police said. No one was hurt.
The Cougars were in town to play the Goldeyes in the American Association of Professional Baseball. They were staying in their hotel when the teen allegedly set the fire. The bus was engulfed in flames, and police arrived at the scene at around 1:50 a.m. Firefighters extinguished the blaze.
“Everyone is OK, and we are still determining if any gear or personal property was lost,” Cougars vice president and general manager Curtis Haug said.
After the fire, the trip couldn’t pause—so the Goldeyes helped the Cougars procure a bus to take them to Fargo, North Dakota, their next stop on the road trip. Windstar, the company whose bus was destroyed, will send a bus to Fargo to bring the Geneva-based Cougars home.
Windstar operations manager Jackson Greteman said the company was devastated by the damage. “We are very disappointed that this could happen to our family-owned company. and the loss of this vehicle will impact our business and operations. ” Greteman wrote in an email to CBC News. He added that the bus was worth $425,000.
Greteman also emphasized the absence of injuries. “We are happy that no one was hurt in this reckless act of vandalism and are cooperating with local authorities.”
Police initially took two teens into custody. The girl facing charges was later released.
Kane County Cougars Winnipeg Manitoba arson charges teen charged bus destroyed Curtis Haug Jackson Greteman Goldeyes American Association of Professional Baseball
Why are they even in Winnipeg like that, go home.
So no injuries but they charged her anyway? Seems like the punishment should match what happened, like maybe probation or something. Also $425,000 is insane.
Winnipeg to Fargo right after, like how do you even continue a trip after a bus gets torched in the hotel area. I’m not saying she’s innocent, but I swear I saw something similar where it was “kids being kids” and then it turns into arson charges.
They said she was staying in their hotel… so was she part of the team or like working there? Cause if it was some random person, how did she even get close enough to light a whole bus. Also people keep saying “reckless vandalism” like that somehow makes it less serious, nah that’s arson. Hope they find out what started it.