High School

Pana High School varsity football team bus catches on fire

The Panthers were heading home following a season-opening road win

Kevin L. Smith

A school bus holding the Pana (Illinois) varsity football team caught fire following a season-opening road win on Friday night. No injuries were reported.
A school bus holding the Pana (Illinois) varsity football team caught fire following a season-opening road win on Friday night. No injuries were reported. / Pana Panthers High School Football Team/Facebook

The Pana High School varsity football team in Illinois had an unexpected twist to a successful evening.

The Panthers were driving home following a 46-27, season-opening road victory over Hillsboro on Friday.

Suddenly, the team bus bursted into flames and forced everyone on it to evacuate. Soon afterwards, the bus was engulfed in a blaze.

According to reports and the Pana Panthers High School Football Facebook page, the entire team retreated safely, and no injuries were reported.

Well… We said we wanted to start off hot this season, but this isn’t quite what we meant! First and foremost, everyone...

Posted by Pana Panthers High School Football on Friday, August 29, 2025

As of Tuesday evening, the cause of the fire has not been revealed.

The Panthers will have its home opener at 7 p.m. Friday against Piasa/Southwestern.

“Thank you to everyone for the messages and comments of support this weekend,” a Pana HS football Facebook post noted. “We believe we were able to save all of the equipment from the fire, but we appreciate all who offered to donate money or equipment.”

The post continued, “We can’t wait to be back under the lights at Brummett Field this Friday, but we have some work to do first.”

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Kevin L. Smith
KEVIN L. SMITH

Kevin L. Smith, a Rochester (NY) native and a graduate of St. Bonaventure University, has been covering high school sports for over a decade. He started out as a freelance sportswriter in 2013. Since then, he’s held sportswriter and editor positions for newspapers in Coudersport (PA), Sayre (PA) and Oswego (NY). Smith currently covers high school sports in the Greater Syracuse Area for syracuse.com | Post-Standard, a position he’s held since 2021. You can follow him on social media @KevLSmittie. Story ideas can be sent to KLSFreelancing@outlook.com.

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