A third electric bus has burst into a ball of flames in London just days after two others were also engulfed in their own infernos. The incident happened at a bus garage in Putney on Wednesday, with the London Fire Brigade being drafted in at around 8.20am.
The unoccupied bus, completely gutted by the fire, took just under an hour to extinguish. It’s reported there were around 20 people inside the associated building, all of whom were safely evacuated.
A letter to employees at Go Ahead, the operating bus company, has confirmed an investigation into the remaining fleet is underway. The correspondence, written by operations director Andrew Edwards, and as seen by Express.co.uk, says: “Your safety, and that of our passengers and that of the wider community will always be our priority.
“As a result, a precautionary fleet check of 380 electric buses has commenced to ensure continued confidence in them.
“Events of the kind that took place inside our premises are very rare and I offer my thanks to all those who instinctively responded to an evolving situation.”
The letter added that with the London Fire Brigade’s approval, the depot at Putney is looking to resume normal business as the vehicle manufacturers, BYD/ADL, and Transport for London try to establish a cause.
Express.co.uk has approached TfL for more information regarding its investigation, as this is the third bus blaze to have taken place in the capital in a matter of days.
Two electric double deckers both went up in flames earlier this month. One, in North Woolwich, east London, took place on January 12 just before 7am. The bus was reportedly an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 which is a hybrid model running on both diesel and electric.
It’s thought about 900 other buses of the exact same combination are running across London.
