DAMMERON VALLEY, UTAH (December 28, 2021) – At 9:52 P.M. on 27 December, Dammeron Valley Fire & Rescue responded to a report of a bus fire in Veyo, UT with possible victims trapped with burn injuries. Veyo Fire Department was first on scene and was assisted by crews from Dammeron Valley Fire & Rescue (DVFR), Diamond Valley Fire, Brookside Fire, Central Fire, Gunlock Fire, Enterprise Fire Department, and St. George Fire.
The incident was an extremely complex mass casualty event, as the bus-to-RV conversion was fully involved which led to a secondary explosion. Patients were treated simultaneously while the fire was extinguished. Five patients were transported, including three in critical condition (two of these were pediatric). One patient was transported via Intermountain Life Flight, two patients were transported by Gold Cross Ambulance, and two patients were transported by Enterprise Fire to St. George Regional Hospital (SGRH). The three critical patients were subsequently transferred to UMC Lions Burn Care Center in Las Vegas. The two non-critical patients were treated and released from SGRH.
The incident represented a county-wide response, and DVFR thanks all the departments and resources involved, including St. George Fire, the Utah State Fire Marshall, and Washington County Emergency Services, particularly Dispatch for the proactive response in securing the necessary resources for the incident. Thank you to Hurricane Valley Fire and Santa-Clara Ivins Fire & Rescue for their coverage of medical calls across the county while resources were deployed to this incident.
The State Fire Marshall’s Office is assisting the Veyo Fire Department to determine the cause of the fire and resulting explosion.