Team Safely Evacuates After Mechanical Fire on Return Trip from Northern Kentucky
The Indiana University Indianapolis (IU Indy) men’s basketball team faced a terrifying moment on Sunday, February 23, when the team’s bus burst into flames during their return trip from a game in Northern Kentucky. The fire, which reportedly began due to a mechanical issue, left the team and its staff scrambling to evacuate the bus safely on the side of the highway.
Shocking images obtained by local news outlets, including WISHNews8, show the aftermath of the blaze, with the bus nearly destroyed, burnt to a crisp. According to the university’s athletic department, the incident occurred near Kent, Indiana, and luckily, everyone aboard was able to evacuate without injury.
“We experienced a mechanical issue that caused a fire on the bus while we were driving back from the game,” the school stated. “All members of the team and staff evacuated safely, and another bus is en route to transport the team back to Indianapolis.” The players and staff members were fortunate to escape the inferno, but they were left with only the belongings they had on them, which included several personal items that were lost in the flames.
Lost Personal Items in the Blaze
The team, who had just suffered a 71-67 road loss to Northern Kentucky, was stranded for a short while until another bus arrived to take them back to campus. Thankfully, no one was seriously harmed, though several individuals lost their phones, wallets, and other essential items. The incident has left a mark on the team, but they remain focused on their upcoming games.
Ed Holdaway, IU Indy’s associate athletic director, spoke to Yahoo Sports, confirming that the fire spread quickly, engulfing the entire bus in a matter of moments. WLWT-Cincinnati, another local news source, shared video footage of the fire, which clearly showed the front of the bus completely consumed by flames.
Resilience and Humor in the Face of Danger
Despite the traumatic experience, the team displayed a bit of humor and resilience. Senior guard Alec Millender jokingly took responsibility for the incident, posting a video of the charred remains of the bus on Instagram, humorously writing, “My bad I started rapping.” Other players, such as sophomore guard Nathan Duke, shared their own videos and reactions, capturing the chaotic yet surreal moment. Paul Zilinskas, a graduate student on the team, also posted footage from the scene, giving followers a view of the fire from outside the bus, along with a simple caption, “Woe.”
IU Indy’s season continues with home games scheduled for later this week against Robert Morris and Wright State on February 27 and March 1, respectively. Following that, the Horizon League Tournament will tip off on March 4. Although the fire incident was a frightening and inconvenient experience for the team, they are determined to push forward with the rest of their season.