During the night of Wednesday January 1 to Thursday January 2, the Optymo site in Danjoutin (Territoire de Belfort), where the hydrogen buses are parked, was affected by a major fire, it was reported. The Republican East. Seven vehicles were destroyed by the flames. According to a press release from the prefecture, the fire started around 2:20 a.m. It was extinguished in more than six hours. Several dozen firefighters from the Territoire de Belfort went to the site to control the fire.
Residents, including in a town located 8 km from the site, heard explosions during the night, then saw smoke emerging. During this time, residents of the neighborhood were confined “as a precaution (…) in order to limit the risk linked to air pollution. » Atmospheric analyzes were carried out and their result, negative, could have led to the end of the confinement of local residents. The fire also had no consequences on the drinking water network and “no marker currently suggests that there could be a major impact on the environment”depending on the prefecture.
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Although the origin of the disaster is currently unknown, the estimated damage should be significant. In fact, all the hydrogen buses in the Optymo network have been destroyed. The purchase of this type of vehicle costs around 700,000 euros per unit. A fleet of 27 vehicles running on hydrogen is planned by 2026, according to the transport service.
