Electric bus catches fire; officials say lithium ion battery fires hard to put out, continually reignite: 'Looks very environmentally friendly'

An electric bus caught fire Saturday morning in the parking lot of the CT Transit Bus Depot in Hamden, Connecticut, according to a Facebook post from the Hamden Fire Department.

What are the details?

"Lithium ion battery fires are difficult to extinguish due to the thermal chemical process that produces great heat and continually reignites," the post read.

Investigators told WVIT-TV that two transit workers were hospitalized as a precaution due to smoke exposure, and one firefighter was hospitalized for for heat exhaustion.

The fire marshal is investigating the incident, according to the post.

While officials told WVIT such fires have to be left to burn because they can't be extinguished, assistant Fire Chief Jeffrey Naples told WTNH-TV firefighters had to use “copious” amounts of water to extinguish the flames.

The bus was purchased and delivered in 2021, CT Transit interim deputy general manager Josh Rickman told WTNH.

How did folks react?

While the Hamden Fire Department limits who can comment on its Facebook posts, a number of folks on Twitter had a bunch to say about the electric bus fire:

• "Looks very environmentally friendly," one user quipped.
• "Happy Earth Day bitches," another commenter declared.
• "So this is the climate change they want," another user wondered.
• "That seems to be a pretty high carbon footprint right about now…" another commenter said.
• "I wonder what that smoke has in it? Evaluate 6 city blocks…" another user noted.
• "THAT'S gotta be good for the atmosphere," another commenter reasoned.
• "So GREEN!" another user joked.