A dramatic fire erupted early Thursday morning at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Midvale Depot in Philadelphia’s Nicetown-Tioga neighborhood, engulfing 40 decommissioned buses in flames and sending thick black smoke across the city. The blaze, which began around a.m., quickly escalated to a three-alarm emergency, drawing more than 100 firefighters to the scene..
Officials confirmed that the fire originated from a lithium-ion battery on a Proterra electric bus, one of electric vehicles stored among the 100 decommissioned buses at the lot The buses, both gas-powered and electric, had been out of service for years and were awaiting disposal or involved in ongoing litigation with the manufacturer The tightly packed arrangement of vehicles contributed to the rapid spread of the flames, making it difficult for crews to contain the fire quickly..
No injuries were reported, but the fire prompted city officials to warn residents to stay indoors due to elevated levels of pollutants, including benzene and carbon monoxide, detected in the air By Friday, air quality readings had returned to normal, and the Health Department lifted restrictions for the area.
This incident marks the latest in a series of battery-related fires involving Proterra electric buses at SEPTA facilities, raising ongoing concerns about storage and safety protocols for decommissioned transit vehicles.
