Fire Breaks Out At Sperry School Bus Barn

By Jeffrey Smith, The News On 6

SPERRY, OK -- Sperry school employees are hard at work cleaning school buses damaged in a fire.

The district reports fire broke out at the bus barn Friday, causing smoke damage to 12 of its 16 buses. One was destroyed in the blaze.

Firefighters said the fire started on a bus scheduled for maintenance on Saturday.

The school's transportation director has his work cut out for him.

"It's going to be a full weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, late nights, to get them all done," said Gary Cartwright, Sperry Transportation Director.

"Wouldn't want my kid riding on it, you know, its smoke damage, nasty sooty smoke," said Asst. Chief Sunny Dickey, Sperry Fire.

Cartwright says the bus that caught fire was disabled, and it was scheduled for maintenance.

"There was nobody here when this happened. Everything was dead on it," said Gary Cartwright.

It's not the first time the bus barn caught fire. Over Christmas break three years ago, six buses were destroyed, and the other six buses in the building were damaged. It's believed an electrical problem sparked that fire. 

Sperry's Asst. Fire Chief says it's time to consider changing district policy.

"Like to maybe looking into storing buses outside," said Asst. Chief Sunny Dickey. "We're pretty fortunate that it hasn't been worse."

Cartwright's been the transportation director for three years, and says eleven buses are safe.

"There will be a lot of smoke damage, but no, it won't affect school at all come Monday. We'll have them ready to go," said Gary Cartwright.

Still, he acknowledges a change in policy might be coming.

"That's something we're going to have to consider, with the school board, and decide what we want to do on that," said Gary Cartwright. 

"I think we're safe in there. We're just going to have to make double sure that before we leave, that everything is taken care of," Cartwright said.

Sperry Schools transports more than 800 students to and from school every day.

Asst. Chief Dickey tells The News On 6 he believes the bus had an electrical problem, which started the fire, but the official cause is still unknown. The Fire Marshal will conduct his investigation on Monday.