The Lamar County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an arson that occurred in a school bus overflow parking lot at Prairiland High School, where two buses were destroyed and two others damaged, according to Lamar County Sheriff Scott Cass.
Sheriff deputies responded to the bus parking lot behind the football field shortly after 11:00 p.m. on Friday, where they observed the two buses engulfed in flames.
Two calls were received by the sheriff’s office: one from Paris 9-1-1 dispatch stating that they had received a call from someone who said that they had heard a loud explosion somewhere near the football stadium and a second call directly to Lamar County dispatch from a resident near the school also reporting hearing a loud explosion near the football field, officials said.
“Volunteer fire departments from Pattonville, Deport and Cunningham responded to the school and extinguished the two buses that were on fire behind the football stadium,” Cass said. “Two other buses received damage to their exterior from the two that were on fire.”
“The sheriff’s office is investigating this as an arson and has contacted the State Fire Marshall,” he said. “The two buses were totally destroyed by the fire, which is a complete loss to the district.”
Investigation is to continue with school administration and a review of school surveillance videos.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information on this crime to contact the Lamar County Sheriff’s Department or Crime Stoppers at 903-785-TIPS as this investigation continues.
By Josh Allen, eParisExtra