Footage of flames roaring from the back of a charter bus, creating thick black smoke in the air, that moments earlier contained the IU Indy men’s basketball, has emerged.
The bus carrying the Jaguars back to campus from a road game against Northern Kentucky is seen engulfed in flames outside of Kent, Indiana, more than 90 miles south of Indianapolis.
The fire was first noticed by the bus driver and an IU Indy coach after the vehicle had a mechanical issue.
Trying to figure out what went wrong, flames were spotted and the bus was quickly evacuated moments before flames were on top of where the Jaguars were previously sitting.
Everyone on the bus had moved about a mile down the road when the bus blew up, causing a total loss worth about $20k in team gear and personal items belonging to the coaches and players.
Among the items lost were phones, wallets, team shoes, Jaguars’ jerseys and coaches’ clipboards.
New terrifying footage of the bus carrying the IU Indy men’s basketball team has emerged
Miraculously, everyone evacuated the bus in time and no one was hurt in the engulfing blaze
Miraculously, no one was injured in the blaze, as it appears everyone on the bus got off just before a further tragedy could occur.
‘On the return drive from today’s game against Northern Kentucky, the bus carrying the IU Indianapolis men’s basketball team experienced a mechanical issue that caused a fire around Kent, Indiana,’ IU Indy athletics said in a Sunday statement.
‘All members of the team and staff evacuated the bus without injury. Another bus is en route to pick up the team and deliver them back to Indianapolis.’
A link to donate to the Jaguars’ NIL fund, which will help the school’s recovery efforts has also been circulated.
The other bus was revealed to be from a nearby school district, per WLWT.
Hours prior to the explosion, the Jaguars lost to Northern Kentucky 71-67 in Horizon League action.
The Jaguars are 9-20 after the loss to Northern Kentucky but finish the regular season with two home games before the Horizon League Tournament.
IU Indy would need a conference tournament run to continue its season into March Madness.
The Jaguars have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2003, where as a No 16 seed, they fell to then top-seeded Kentucky.
IU Indy has not won a regular-season conference championship since 2006.
