Authorities: Teen set fire to Kane County Cougars bus in Canada

The Kane County Cougars’ team bus was destroyed in a fire that police in Canada allege was intentionally set by a teenage girl.

The Geneva-based baseball team was in the midst of a three-day schedule of games against the Winnipeg Goldeyes in Manitoba, Canada, when their team bus went up in flames, a fire reported at 1:50 a.m. Thursday.

The bus and its contents were destroyed in the blaze, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release.

No one was injured, police said, though a “bystander nearby observed someone inside the bus and assisted in removing them,” authorities said.

Authorities said police took two teens into custody at the scene, determined the fire was deliberately set and charged one of the juveniles, a 15-year-old girl, with arson causing property damage, and possession of incendiary material.

Police said the girl was released to an adult on an undertaking, similar to a bail bond in American law.

The team went on to win its Thursday game against the Goldeyes 12-5.

Curtis Haug, the Cougars’ vice president and general manager, told Shaw Local Friday: “Thankfully everyone is okay and only some gear and personal property was lost.”

Haug said that with the help of Goldeyes GM Andrew Collier, the team secured a bus to take the players to Fargo, North Dakota, Thursday for their weekend schedule.

“Then we have coordinated with our bus company, Windstar out of Iowa, to send us a bus to Fargo to complete the trip this weekend and eventually take us back home to Geneva on Sunday evening,” Haug said in an email.