An Electric Bus Caught Fire After Battery Explosion in Paris

A video recording shows the start of the fire which completely consumed an electric RATP bus on Friday 29 April. The incident caused no injuries.

The bus burst into flames within seconds. This is what can be seen on the video that captured the very beginning of the fire of an electric vehicle of the RATP in Paris , this Friday, April 29. In the images, we can see a small explosion occur on the roof of the bus, where the batteries are located, followed by huge flames that spread to the entire body, at breakneck speed.

This line 71 bus caught fire in the 13th arrondissement of Paris in the morning, mobilizing around thirty workers, according to the firefighters contacted by Le Parisien. It is a 100% electric vehicle, from the Bolloré brand Bluebus 5SE series, like the bus that burned down at the beginning of April .

This afternoon, the RATP decided to temporarily withdraw from circulation the 149 Bolloré electric bluebuses that circulate on its network.

UPDATE 2023 :

On Tuesday evening, an electric bus caught fire in the city of Los Angeles, causing panic and chaos among passengers and onlookers. The incident, which occurred at around 7:00 PM, resulted in the bus being completely destroyed and several passengers sustaining minor injuries.

According to witnesses, the bus was in the process of picking up passengers when smoke began to billow from the back of the vehicle. Passengers quickly evacuated the bus, with some of them suffering from smoke inhalation. The fire department was immediately called to the scene, and firefighters were able to put out the fire within a few minutes.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but initial reports suggest that it may have been due to a malfunction in the bus’s electrical system. The bus was a brand new, state-of-the-art electric bus that had only been in service for a few weeks.

This incident has raised concerns about the safety of electric buses, with many questioning whether they are truly ready for widespread use. Electric buses are seen as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional diesel buses, but they are also known to be more prone to fires due to their complex electrical systems.

Despite the incident, the city of Los Angeles has stated that it will continue to invest in electric buses as part of its plan to reduce emissions and improve air quality. The city has also stated that it will work closely with the manufacturer of the bus to determine the cause of the fire and to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.

In conclusion, the fire that occurred on Tuesday evening serves as a reminder of the importance of safety when it comes to new technology. While electric buses may be seen as a step towards a more sustainable future, it is crucial that safety is not compromised in the process. The city of Los Angeles and the bus manufacturer must work together to fully investigate the cause of the fire and to implement measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.