CHARLOTTESVILLE (WINA) – Two apartments are heavily damaged and four buses destroyed after an early morning fire starting at the JAUNT facility at 1013 Linden Avenue. Charlottesville Fire Battalion Chief David Werner says they got the call shortly before 3am and arrived to find the buses fully involved in flames — and that fire had spread across some mulch to an adjacent apartment building.

Werner says they had about three-dozen personnel on scene with several engine companies and 2 aerial units. It took a little over half-an-hour to get the fire under control. He says in addition to the gutted buses, the end apartment unit sustained severe fire damage, and the adjacent apartment has significant water damage. The other 4 apartments are relatively unscathed.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and they’re unsure of the origin. However, Werner says they’ve sent out a fire safety tip about mulch and it’s easy combustibility. He says in this case, the mulch leading up to a building with vinyl siding helped the blaze spread significantly. He say they needed all the personnel on the scene because between the intense heat and the hot, humid weather, it did not take long for firefighters to have to rotate out.

JAUNT estimates the price tag of the damaged buses at some $300,000. Brian Cohen says they’re covered by insurance, so replacement won’t be a problem.  He says the loss of the buses will not affect any services since they have plenty of buses to run the routes.