Whitefish High School speech and debate students and coaches made it home safely after the bus transporting the team caught fire at a Saturday tournament in Ronan.

The driver was the only person on the bus at the time and was taken to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation and release Sunday, according to the Whitefish Pilot. The Whitefish team was attending an awards ceremony to celebrate a first-place win when the fire occurred, said head coach Sara Mueller. 

Ronan Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to Ronan Middle School at 5:30 p.m. after a passerby reported the fire. The fire started in the engine at the back of the Rocky Mountain Transportation bus.  

Flames were visible when 15 firefighters arrived at the scene, said Ronan Fire Chief Chris Adler. He said the fire was confined to the engine area and took about two hours to extinguish.   

Adler said the cause of fire was likely a mechanical failure. 

Rocky Mountain Transportation arranged another bus to transport the team, which arrived home safely, Mueller said. 

“We are profoundly grateful for the support we’ve received, the quick and expert response from emergency services in Ronan, and the safe return of our team,” Mueller said. “The fire occurred when the bus was stationary, and students were moving into the awards presentation. We also want to thank the other teams there at the tournament who all reached out and helped in their own way.” 

Bigfork High School speech and debate head coach Shirley Stine said the team sends their thoughts to Whitefish team, which lost personal belongings, props, clothes and student work in the fire. Columbia Falls head coach Dawn Roe said Whitefish not only showed strength during the tournament, but also during the awards ceremony. 

“It was bittersweet to watch the team who deserved the first-place win deal with the traumatic loss of their bus just minutes before the awards ceremony.  The strength shown by the Whitefish team as they took the stage at the ceremony was an inspiration," Roe said.