Posted on 08/08/2022 12:48:53 PM PDT by george76
One day after officials touted the passage of the Connecticut Clean Air Act, including plans for thousands of electric vehicles to hit the road, one of the state-run electric buses caught on fire over the weekend.
The blaze engulfed a CTtransit bus in a Hamden parking lot Saturday morning, sending two workers and a firefighter to the hospital, officials said.
“Lithium ion battery fires are difficult to extinguish due to the thermal chemical process that produces great heat and continually reignites,” Hamden fire officials said.
Two transit workers were hospitalized as a precaution after being exposed to the smoke. A firefighter was also taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion, officials said.
The bus was delivered in December and began service in January, CTtransit spokesperson Josh Rickman said.
“The bus, last operated on July 20, on routes 243 and 265, and was not in service at the time of the incident,” Rickman said. “Bus fires are rare, but can occur similar to cars. This is CTtransit’s first fire incident with a battery electric bus. Bus operators, maintenance staff and others undergo extensive training and safety protocols are in place.”
As a result of the fire, the electric bus fleet was pulled from service as a precaution, Rickman said.
“The importance of rider safety is demonstrated by taking these buses out of service and ensuring a thorough investigation is completed prior to any redeployment of the fleet,” Rickman said. “We have deployed diesel buses to make sure people get to where they need to be.”
The Saturday fire came one day after state officials gathered in New Haven, including Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe Giulietti, Gov. Ned Lamont, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes, to boast the success of the Clean Air Act that would restrict diesel vehicles and increase electric cars in the state.
“There are approximately 800 buses that we are responsible for at the DOT that are being replaced with no-emissions electric models. They’re quieter, they emit no emissions and they last longer,” Giulietti said Friday.
In addition to the electric state-run buses, public school buses will also shift to electric models, according to the governor’s statement. The Clean Air Act will also prohibit the procurement of diesel-powered buses after 2023, according to the statement.
The bus fire in Hamden is still under investigation, DOT spokesperson Josh Morgan said.
“The first battery electric buses came into service in the fall of 2020,” Morgan said. “Today, there are 12 electric buses in Connecticut, and approximately 50 planned to be ordered.”
The first electric buses were placed in the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority in fall 2020, with plans for three more, according to DOT.
The Bus Electrification Project, a partnership among DOT, DEEP and CTtransit, includes plans for electric public transit buses to be added across the state in the next few years. Twelve battery buses will go to New Haven and Stamford service areas, 10 in Waterbury and three in the University of Connecticut and Windham area.
Bomb on four wheels.
But they environmentally safe.
“They last longer”
Well…….no.
Who manufactures these buses?
5.56mm
They dunk burning Teslas into dumpsters full of water. Not sure what you do for a bus?
Just think of how toxic these chemicals are when these EV batteries catch on fire - spewing all these toxins into the air. Environmentalism is the biggest scam. These are people who have rejected God and chosen worship of the Earth as their religion. And it is a religion! They don’t care that EV batteries are more toxic and create more environmental destruction than normal cars.... it’s all about pushing their religion no matter the cost.
Stand away from it and watch it burn?
Noxious emissions...
Probably “zero toxic emmisions” we’re released during this incident. Hmmmm. Safe? Effective? 🚃 🌋🚒
7 months of service?
and when a rush bus loaded with passengers ignites? what will they do?
Well, duh. Electric cord simply wasn’t long enough...
tow it to the nearest body of water
Felicity Ace, carrying ~4,000 vehicles including Porsches, Audis and Bentleys, electric with lithium-ion batteries, caught fire in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean .. then it sank..
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4040097/posts
Hopefully they jump off quick!
Not sure if these have sensors on the battery pack to alert the operator.
“ and when a rush bus loaded with passengers ignites? what will they do?”
Well…they cal Keanu Reeves. No?
All sorts of cities used to have Electric Buses.
They had smaller [lead-acid] batteries though.
Thanks.
I hope you are doing well.
5.56mm
Just like the 4th of July!
https://insideevs.com/news/583324/paris-suspends-149-bollore-electric-buses-after-two-fires/
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