9 electric buses destroyed by suspected lithium battery fire in Taichung City

Nine electric buses were destroyed by a fire in a parking lot in Taichung City in the early hours of this morning, Monday, October 21.

The Taichung City Fire Department received reports of buses on fire at a parking lot on Jinghe Street in Beitun District at around 2:00 am. A total of 21 fire trucks and 46 personnel were dispatched to battle the blaze.

Firefighters said the fire was fierce due to lithium ion batteries. The fire was brought under control at around 3:30 am, and finally extinguished at around 4:10 am. A total of nine buses were destroyed, but no casualties were reported.

According to the preliminary investigation, no suspicious persons were seen on surveillance cameras, and it is suspected that the cause may have been an electrical fault in a battery.

Eight buses burned completely, and another on badly damaged by fire in Taichung City. Picture: TCFD.

According to an SETN report, the buses were some of 50 belonging to the beleaguered Sifang Electric Bus Company. The company went out of business in October 2023, owing wages to its drivers which still haven’t been paid. The buses have all been mortgaged to banks.

The detailed cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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