EV Battery Fire Deep Dive - Electric Bus at Potters Bar, London, UK, May 2022

Electric bus fires are very rare, but present new risks & challenges for emergency responders.

In this EV FireSafe EV Battery Fire Deep Dive video, we look at the Potters Bar (London, UK) electric bus fire that occurred in May 2022 & break down what's happening with the incident, the emergency response & the findings of the initial investigation.

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IMPORTANT:
EVs are inherently safe & fire are very rare.
This video is provided for informational purposes only.
Always follow your emergency agency SOPs when attending EV fires &/or incidents.

About the EV FireSafe research project

[ivanstewart]

I just want to commend EV Firesafe for producing & publishing this video. The more informed we are, helps us in making efforts towards the safety of operator employees, passengers, and first responders. EV Firesafe... Keep up the good work.

[petew]

That smoke looks really good for the planet. EV’s brilliant !

[Zulu_November]

This is absolutely an environmental saver I’m telling all of you😂 I didn’t see any co2 coming out of this fire to the atmosphere did you?

[michaelclarkson]

I wouldn't be too keen to ride on the top deck of one learning that the battery pack is stored on the roof especially if you had a driver inadvertently attempt to drive under a low bridge in error. How will the battery pack react to that? and what happens if the passengers can't be evacuated quickly especially in the event of a fire do they get incinerated? It probably sounds daft what I've just said but just a thought only.

[cmwHisArtist]

That looks like worse air pollution than usual fires.

[izalman]

That thermal runaway looks exactly like the fire at Luton Airport car park.. Same coloured jet flames and smoke.

[naturalroyalflush]

Same in Paris. Bus just parked on the road...next minute showers of molten metal and incineration of the bus. 149 busses withdrawn out of an abundance of caution.

[justincase]

Must have been the diesel units started the fire, they are renowned for spontaneously combusting, as the Range Rover did at Luton Airport !!😂😂😂nothing to see here folks !!

[herbiemitchell]

It would take even the dirtiest petrol or diesel vehicle a long time to produce that amount of toxic pollution.

[Shurdeflurgen]

Meanwhile, 3 kids die in house fire 😒

[engjds]

Dont worry, those fumes are devoid of Co2 and are perfectly healthy to breath.

[crazyleyland]

I am still pro trolleybus, as they are a tried and tested, much safer form of electric bus. The overhead catenary can be designed so as not to be so obtrusive. I have seen a video of a gas bus fire, with huge jets of flame as the gas bottles vent, although this is to stop them exploding like bombs. I think electric and gas buses ought to have more emergency exits than diesel buses- just in case.

[iainstevenson]

You dont want to be on one of those when it goes. They excallate really fast. Much faster thatn the 'Oh there is a problem here' moment to the 'I am buring' moment than ICE vehciles.

[union]

Less emissions than a diesel....really?

[allansheldrake]

just to conclude from TfLs investagation in to this fire it was because the bus was totally isolated with the main battery isolator being swtiched off to the 12v battery controlling the colling system so when the vehicle was being charged the batterys over heated and thermal runaway caused this devistating fire

[softwarephil]

Just Stop Oil is pleased to report no oil was used in this fire.

[sixstringsforever]

How on earth are you meant to get of the upper deck if an EV bus goes up???
You haven't a snowball's chance in hell and tragically there will be a major incident in due course.

[tastyblox]

this is why ev buses for london was a mistake

[jonathanpardoe]

Well if anybody wants confirmation of why NOT to buy an EV, this is it .

[Modernnannenginemarineengine]

£1:65 per journey . To end up in a towering inferno. It’s only luck. That people haven’t lost life’s so far. And sadly it will happen.