HOPKINTON, Mass. — A dramatic morning fire on Friday destroyed a unique mobile gymnastics facility housed inside a converted bus and caused exterior damage to an adjacent building on Wood Street.
According to a press release from the Hopkinton Fire Department issued by Fire Chief Gary Daugherty Jr., crews were dispatched to 59 Wood Street at approximately 9:00 a.m. on October 23, 2026, following reports of a vehicle fire.
Rapid Response Prevents Major Spread
While en route, responding units were informed by Fire Alarm that the burning vehicle was a bus parked directly next to a structure and that no one was on board. Upon arrival, the first-due engine crew found the converted mobile gymnastics bus fully engulfed in flames.
Because the intense fire was threatening the adjacent building, the incident was quickly upgraded to a first alarm, drawing mutual aid resources from surrounding communities.
Safe Evacuation and Zero Injuries
Staff members from The Learning Center acted swiftly, evacuating both school buildings as a precaution. Authorities confirmed that no students or staff members were inside the bus at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.
While the mobile gymnastics facility itself was deemed a total loss, firefighters successfully kept the blaze from breaching the main structures, though an adjacent school building known as the “Clubhouse” sustained exterior damage.
Investigation Underway
The cause of the fire is currently under active investigation by a Massachusetts State Police trooper assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
