UPDATE (9/1/26 11 p.m.) LENOIR CITY, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — Lenoir City Schools will resume classes Wednesday after an early morning fire destroyed four school buses and heavily damaged two others, causing an estimated $800,000 in losses and forcing the district to cancel classes Tuesday.
Lenoir City Police Chief Jonathan Bryant said investigators have determined the fire was not intentionally set.
The fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday at the district’s bus yard on Panther Drive. When officers and firefighters arrived, several buses were already engulfed in flames.
To determine the cause, the Lenoir City Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division requested assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Following a preliminary investigation, authorities concluded a mechanical issue on one bus sparked the fire, which then spread to nearby vehicles parked close together.
“That occurred this morning and led us to preliminary findings that there was not an intentional act that set these buses on fire, but it was determined to be a mechanical issue with one of the buses that then caused that fire to spread throughout the other buses that were parked nearby to each other,” Bryant said.
The chief pushed back against speculation circulating online, saying investigators are confident the fire was accidental.
“I have high confidence as your chief of police that there is not any intentional act,” Bryant said. “This was not caused by an intentional act.”
Officials estimate the destruction and damage to the six buses totaled roughly $800,000. No injuries were reported.
The bus yard fire forced Lenoir City Schools to cancel classes Tuesday while district leaders worked to secure replacement transportation.
Despite losing multiple buses, the district announced that classes will resume Wednesday, Sept. 2, with buses operating on their normal schedules and routes.
School officials credited transportation providers and neighboring districts for helping ensure students will have rides to school. The district specifically thanked Gray Bus Lines, Costner Bus Lines and Crossroads Bus Lines for making buses available to replace those destroyed in the fire.
Students said they were surprised by the news. While some initially welcomed the unexpected day off, many later expressed concern about the extent of the damage and relief that no one was injured.
Police said the investigation is complete and no further action is planned.
ORIGINAL STORY: LENOIR CITY, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — Lenoir City Schools canceled classes Tuesday after an early morning fire tore through the school system’s bus yard, destroying multiple buses and causing an estimated $800,000 in damage.
The fire occurred at the school bus lot on Panther Drive near the Lenoir City Pool, according to emergency officials.
Lenoir City Dispatch initially reported that between five and 10 school buses were involved in the fire. Firefighters from the Lenoir City Fire Department and officers with the Lenoir City Police Department responded to the scene.
According to the fire department, the first engine arrived within five minutes of being dispatched and found several buses engulfed in flames.
“The first arriving engine was on scene within five minutes of being dispatched and found multiple school buses actively involved in fire,” the department said. “Firefighters worked quickly to bring the fire under control within approximately 20 minutes.”
While crews battled the blaze, firefighters from Tellico Village Fire Department provided station coverage to ensure emergency protection remained available throughout the community.
Following the fire, Lenoir City Schools Director Mark Hudson announced that classes would be canceled Tuesday due to the transportation impact and damage at the bus facility.
Fire officials said four buses were declared total losses, while two additional buses sustained heavy damage. The combined damage estimate is approximately $800,000.
No injuries were reported.
Investigators have not yet determined what sparked the fire. The Lenoir City Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are assisting with the investigation to determine the cause and origin of the blaze.
School officials have not announced when damaged buses will be replaced or whether transportation schedules could be affected beyond Tuesday.
Additional information is expected to be released as investigators continue their work.
