Fact check: Viral claim misrepresents bus fire as EV malfunction
The claim: Video shows electric buses that 'burst into flames without warning'
A Twitter video shows Vice President Kamala Harris praising electric buses, including the installation of passenger USB chargers, while buses are shown burning in a separate frame.
"Kamala Harris: The propensity for electric buses to burst into flames without warning is a small price to pay for having USB outlets next to every seat," reads the caption of the April 9 post (direct link, archive link).
The Twitter post was viewed more than 100,000 times and also shared widely on Facebook, according to Crowdtangle, a social media analytics tool. A Facebook version of the post also circulated.
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Our rating: False
There is no evidence that the buses in the video were electric, and they did not "burst into flames without warning." The buses were consumed by a fire that began outside the parking lot.
The buses were consumed by a fire that began nearby
The fire occurred Feb. 26, 2021, in an industrial area of Compton, California. Multiple media outlets reported the blaze spread to the buses after an adjacent pallet yard caught fire.
Compton Fire Battalion Chief Luis Hernandez told Paste BN the origins of the fire "had nothing to do with the buses." While the investigation is ongoing, he said the blaze likely originated in an alley next to the industrial area before spreading through the complex.
The fire was also covered by a bus industry publication, which reported that 21 buses were lost. Neither the media reports nor the industry publication mentioned electric buses.
"I don't believe any of the buses were electric," said Hernandez, who is also a lead fire investigator.
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EV FireSafe, an Australian company that researches electric vehicle fires, has verified at least 18 high-voltage battery fires in electric buses worldwide since 2010, according to the company's website.
The clip of Harris in the social media post shows the vice president speaking at a Minnesota bus manufacturing facility in February.
The Twitter user who shared the post could not be reached.
The claim was also debunked by Reuters.
Our fact-check sources:
- Luis Hernandez, April 13, Phone interview with Paste BN
- Fox11 (YouTube), Feb. 28, 2021, Massive fire burns in industrial area of Compton
- ABC7 (YouTube), Feb. 26, 2021, Massive fire at Compton industrial complex rips through structures, buses | ABC7
- ABC7, Feb. 26, 2021, Massive fire at Compton industrial complex rips through businesses, buses
- CBS Los Angeles, Feb. 26, 2021, Buses burn, transformers explode after massive blaze breaks out at Compton pallet yard
- Los Angeles Daily News, Feb. 26, 2021, Large wood pallet fire in Compton spreads to nearby bus yard
- Bus & Motorcoach News, March 3, 2021, Four operators lose 21 motorcoaches, school buses in LA blaze
- EV FireSafe, April 27, 2022, Why do e-buses catch fire?
- KARE11, Feb. 9, Vice President Kamala Harris visits St. Cloud, Minnesota
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