Feb. 2, 2021 6:35a UPDATE: 10:35am; 5p
(WGTD)---Classes in the Burlington Area School District will resume as scheduled Wednesday following an early-Tuesday morning fire that crippled the district's ability to bus students.
Six school buses and a shed were heavily damaged or destroyed at the Thomas Bus Company just outside of Burlington on Highway 142. The loss was estimated to be over $500,000.
A Racine County Sheriff’s deputy on routine patrol just before 4 a.m. discovered the three-alarm fire. Numerous area fire departments responded.
The cause of the blaze is believed to be an unspecified electrical malfunction, according to a news release from the sheriff's department. The business was closed at the time and no employees were present.
The school district was notified of the fire within an hour after it was discovered, and because of numerous uncertainties, decided to cancel in-person classes, according to a district Facebook post.
BASD said Thomas Bus has served the district for 50 years, providing transportation for up to 2,300 students.
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