Jerrod Niemann
, his band and crew escaped injury Tuesday night (March 6)
when their tour bus exploded and caught fire following a performance in Chattanooga, Tenn. Authorities are still investigating
the case, the latest in a series of accidents involving country artists' tour buses. According to WRCB-TV/Chattanooga, Niemann
and members of his entourage were on the bus outside the Tivoli Theater following his performance at Heartstrings for Hope,
a concert benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Initially, Niemann thought a heater on the bus was smoking, but
after a friend urged everyone on the bus to get out, an explosion took place and the back of the bus was burned. The concert
bill featured
Joey & Rory and
Chris
Young, among others.
Randy Houser canceled his appearance to be with his wife and
their son who was born earlier Tuesday.
American Idol runner-up
Lauren Alaina
filled in for him at the concert which also featured a surprise appearance by
Ronnie Dunn.
In March 2010, Houser and his band lost their music gear, clothing and personal belongings in a bus fire prior to a performance
in Isle of the Palms, S.C. In January,
Lee Brice and his band lost part of their wardrobe
when their bus caught fire while parked outside a venue at a concert in Mesa, Ariz.
