The electric bus model is being kept off the streets after one suddenly became alight in what could be an issue with the battery.
A fleet of 90 buses have been removed from the streets with disruption caused to nine routes after one bus became engulfed in flames yesterday (Sunday, May 22). Transport for London (TfL) quickly removed the buses from passenger service as a precautionary measure while an investigation into the cause of the fire is carried.
The major fire at Potters Bar bus garage in Hertfordshire saw six buses engulfed in flames. As a result, the entire vehicle TfL fleet of electric double decker bus model ‘Switch Mobility MetroDecker EV’ has been removed from passenger service, MyLondon can reveal. It means that routes that usually use this model of bus are disrupted as bus operators scramble to find spare buses they can put into service.
The fire could be seen as far away as St Albans, Hertfordshire, nine miles away. Although the cause is still being investigated, as the vehicles involved included these electric buses which have been grounded, it is understood that a charging or battery error may have been to blame. The buses at the depot, which is run by bus operator Metroline, operate TfL bus routes across North London and parts of Hertfordshire.
Footage taken from the scene and posted on TikTok shows thick dark smoke billowing from the buses as the flames appear to get bigger and more intense, despite firefighters best efforts.
