Close Menu
Eden Prairie Local News
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Thursday, May 22
    • About
      • About EPLN
      • Team
      • EPLN in the News
      • Policies
    • Contact
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Threads LinkedIn
    Subscribe
    Eden Prairie Local News
    • Home
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Public Safety
    • City
    • Calendar
    • Subscribe
    • Donate
    • More
      • Construction
      • Outdoors
      • Politics
      • Health
      • Spirituality
      • Community Service
      • Legacy
      • Obituaries
      • Arts
      • Family
      • Holidays
      • Letter to Editor
      • Listen
      • Jobs
    Eden Prairie Local News
    Home»Public Safety»Four firefighters injured in SouthWest Transit facility fire; cause undetermined
    Public Safety

    Four firefighters injured in SouthWest Transit facility fire; cause undetermined

    Jim BayerBy Jim BayerFebruary 11, 2022Updated:February 11, 20222 Mins Read
    Photo off burned Southwest Transit bus 2-11-22
    A SouthWest Transit bus fire injured four firefighters Feb. 11. The fire was contained to one bus thanks to a sprinker system. SouthWest Transit photo

    An early morning bus fire on Feb. 11 injured four firefighters at the SouthWest Transit maintenance facility in Eden Prairie, according to city officials.

    At 12:38 a.m., the department received a water flow alarm at the transit facility at 14405 W. 62nd St., Fire Chief Scott Gerber told EPLN.

    Fire crews entered the building and found a SouthWest Transit coach bus on fire. Firefighters were able to douse the fire on the inside and outside of the bus. The fire was contained to a single bus thanks to the building’s sprinkler system, Gerber said.

    “The sprinkler system is an important part of the story,” Gerber said. “The system helped keep that fire in check to the bus of origin (for the fire) instead of letting it spread to the rest of the building.”

    Advertisement
    Ad for Washburn McReavy

    Gerber said there was some smoke and heat damage to other buses and parts of the building.

    Four firefighters, including one from a nearby agency, were injured while fighting the blaze.

    A Hopkins firefighter was transported to Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina for evaluation before being released. The Hopkins, Minnetonka, Chanhassen, and Excelsior fire departments assisted Eden Prairie at the scene.

    Three Eden Prairie firefighters were evaluated on-scene by Hennepin County EMS for smoke inhalation and elevated carbon monoxide levels.

    No Eden Prairie firefighters were taken to the hospital, and they returned home with no issues, city officials said.

    CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy also responded to the scene.

    Investigation begins

    An investigation into the cause of the fire has begun, Len Simich, SWT’s CEO told EPLN. The investigation will be conducted jointly by the Eden Prairie Fire Department and the League of Minnesota Cities, which provides SWT’s insurance.

    Until the investigation is complete, SWT has taken similar style and vintage coach buses out of service as a precautionary measure, Simich said.

    All scheduled SWT services are running on time today, he said. Meanwhile, cleanup has begun on other vehicles that were nearby, as well as areas of the building with smoke damage.

    SWT provides over 1 million passenger trips annually, according to its most recent annual report.

    Editor’s note: This story was updated at 2:40 p.m. Feb. 11 to include information from SWT.

    Stuart Sudak contributed to this report.

    Comments
    We offer several ways for our readers to provide feedback. Your comments are welcome on our social media posts (Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn). We also encourage Letters to the Editor; submission guidelines can be found on our Contact Us page. If you believe this story has an error or you would like to get in touch with the author, please connect with us.

    Be Informed
    Sign up for the FREE email newsletter from EPLN
    Subscribe
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleSchool district to purchase 7 new buses for 2022-23 school year
    Next Article EP educator remembered for his kindness

    More to READ

    2 Mins Read

    Shakopee man charged in Eden Prairie sexual assault of 15-year-old girl

    May 21, 2025
    2 Mins Read

    Former Eden Prairie man sentenced for posting nude images of woman online without her consent

    May 20, 2025
    3 Mins Read

    Scheels wrongful death lawsuit moves toward 2026 jury trial

    May 19, 2025
    Subscribe to get EPLN in your inbox for FREE!
    Recent Articles

    The Minnesota Legislature never really adjourned. It just went behind closed doors

    May 22, 2025

    What’s inside GOP U.S. House’s $3.8 trillion tax and spending plan

    May 22, 2025

    ‘Fountain of Youth’ is fool’s gold

    May 22, 2025

    From blight to bloom: Overgrown lot to be transformed into pollinator garden

    May 22, 2025

    4 CMS students are winners in international video contest

    May 22, 2025
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    INN Network Member Guidestar Seal
    Eden Prairie Local News is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization EIN 85-4248265 | Copyright © 2020-2025
    • About
    • Policies
    • Jobs
    • Contact
    • Advertising
    • Subscribe
    • Donate

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.