Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 1, 1995                   TAG: 9506010079
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BUS EXPLOSION INVESTIGATED

"We believe something was detonated on the bus," county school Superintendent John Kent said Wednesday. "Basically, it was an act of vandalism."

Exactly what caused the blast isn't known, he said. "We've left that up to the state arson investigator, the state police and the sheriff's department."

"It had to be an explosive device because of the damage done," school spokeswoman Amy Smith said. "In anybody's memory, we have never had any incident like this. There's been some minor vandalism of parked buses in the past, but nothing of this magnitude."

The bus was one of about 14 parked at Jefferson Forest High School. The parking lot is lighted at night but is not fenced, Kent said. And bus doors can't be locked.

Glass was broken on another bus parked there over the weekend, he said. And glass was broken on a bus there several weeks ago.

The school system will begin parking its buses in a more secure area, Kent said.