15-Year-Old Charged With Arson After Winnipeg Team Bus Fire

A 15-year-old girl has been charged with arson after a charter bus used by a visiting U.S. minor league baseball team was destroyed by fire in Winnipeg early Thursday morning. The Kane County Cougars, an Illinois-based team, were in the city for a series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes when their bus was set ablaze while parked at Blue Cross Stadium.

According to Winnipeg police, officers responded to the scene around 1:50 a.m. on May 21 and found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames. A bystander reported seeing someone inside the bus and assisted that person off before emergency crews arrived. No injuries were reported. Police said the bus and all its contents were a total loss.

Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set. Two teenagers were taken into custody at the scene. Police later announced that a 15-year-old girl faces charges of arson causing damage to property and possession of incendiary material. She was released on an undertaking and placed in the care of a responsible adult.

The bus was owned by Windstar Lines, a U.S.-based charter company. A company spokesperson estimated the loss of the motorcoach at $425,000. Vice-president Pat Greteman said in a...