North Bay Trappers hockey team grateful for emergency responders, citizen rescue in bus blaze

The North Bay Trappers are sending their messages of gratitude and appreciation to the first responders, along with a handful of citizens who helped transport players to shelter after their team’s bus caught fire Sunday night.

The AAA U18 team was left stranded in the cold on Highway 11 shortly before 7:00 p.m. when their stage coach suddenly caught fire in the Kirkland Lake area. The team was on their way home after playing the Kapuskasing Flyers Sunday afternoon as part of a three-game road trip.

Their driver noticed some flames near the rear axle tag at the back of the bus. He immediately pulled over on the side of the road to inspect it and noticed flames spreading at a fast rate. He rushed to the front and ordered the bus to be evacuated.

Tisdale Bus Lines Ltd., the licensed charter, credits the driver’s quick actions to ensure everyone got off the bus and away from it safely, as flames began to pour out of the windows.

Everyone got off the bus safely. There were no injuries reported. However, all of the players’ equipment and their personal belongings they had with them and were lost in the blaze.

“We set up a rescue unit to go pick up the group. My understanding is that the OPP at the time had started transferring the passengers to the Kenogami & District Fire Rescue station to get them off the highway,” said Ron Malette, the president of Tisdale Bus Lines Ltd.

It took roughly an hour for a new bus to be dispatched and to get to the fire station to pick up the team.

Citizen Ken Armstrong was on his way home from a nearby convenience store when he saw the thick smoke and flames.

Armstrong pulled over and saw the players huddled together in the cold.

“There were young men standing all around. Some of them were in shorts and t-shirts and I knew then we had to act very quickly to get them off the highway. It was minus four degrees,” he said.

After discussing the situation with police, Armstrong took 12 players to the nearby gas station and eventually to the fire station so they could warm up.

“I’m so thankful I was there at that time,” he said.

“It could have been a lot worse.”

Malette says the bus company has been in constant contact with the team to get the ruined hockey equipment replaced.

“Our main priority is to get the kids back on the ice. I told them whatever happens, order all the equipment and send me the bill,” he said.

“We’ll cover it. If it becomes an insurance issue later on, we’ll deal with it later on at that point.”

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are currently investigating.

The team issued a statement to CTV News Monday afternoon saying it will continue to follow updates on the OPP’s investigation.

“We would like to thank the first responders/fire department that attended the scene as well as the local community in the area of the incident that provided transportation and shelter to our players, coaches and parents while they waited for another bus to pick them up,” wrote the North Bay & District Trappers Hockey Association President Scott Huycke.

“We are extremely grateful that there were no injuries and everyone returned home safe from the incident.”

The Trappers are scheduled to travel to the U.S. on Friday for a tournament. It is not known, if they will be attending.