While parked in a depot, seven hydrogen buses caught fire in Danjoutin (Territoire de Belfort) during the night from Wednesday to Thursday. The origin of the incident is currently unknown.
The plume of smoke is impressive. It was almost 2:30 a.m. this Thursday, January 2, when a spectacular fire broke out at the hydrogen refilling station in Danjoutin, a town in the Territoire de Belfort. Seven Optymo buses, parked in the depot, caught fire, indicated the prefecture of the Territoire de Belfort.
According to the regional daily L’Est Republican, local residents, including in a town located 8 kilometers from the site, heard explosions during the night and then saw smoke emerging.
Lockdown lifted at 6 a.m.
As a preventive measure and despite winds blowing fire smoke in the opposite direction, homes around the site were confined. Atmospheric analyzes were then carried out and their result, negative, could have led to the end of the confinement of local residents at 6 a.m.
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”, according to state services in the department. At this time, the flames were brought under control by nearly 52 firefighters and 21 vehicles on site. An investigation has been opened to find out the origin of this disaster.
Belfort, pilot city for hydrogen buses
Belfort, which dreams of becoming the French capital of the hydrogen industry, launched its first non-polluting hydrogen electric buses in the summer of 2023 for its public transport, with the aim of equipping half of its fleet with them by to 2025.
These buses, which are still underdeveloped, have a unit cost of nearly 700,000 euros, compared to around 280,000 euros for a diesel bus.
