https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/After-massive-bus-fire-CT-pulls-electric-fleet-17329085.php * Our Network * Fairfield Citizen * Westport News * New Milford Spectrum * Connecticut Magazine * CT POST * NEW HAVEN REGISTER * NEWS-TIMES * STAMFORD ADVOCATE * West Hartford News * GREENWICH TIME * THE HOUR * Middletown Press * REGISTER CITIZEN * Darien Times * Milford Mirror * New Canaan Advertiser * Ridgefield Press * Shelton Herald * Shoreline Times * Trumbull Times * Wilton Bulletin * County Times * More Our Network * Fairfield Citizen * Westport News * New Milford Spectrum * Connecticut Magazine * CT POST * NEW HAVEN REGISTER * NEWS-TIMES * STAMFORD ADVOCATE * West Hartford News * GREENWICH TIME * THE HOUR * Middletown Press * REGISTER CITIZEN * Darien Times * Milford Mirror * New Canaan Advertiser * Ridgefield Press * Shelton Herald * Shoreline Times * Trumbull Times * Wilton Bulletin * County Times Skip to main content CT Insider Homepage Currently Reading After massive bus fire, CT pulls electric fleet from service * Subscribe Subscribe * Sign In [ ] * Home + Contact Us + Manage Subscription + Advertise With Us + Careers + Newsletters + FAQ + Privacy Notice + Terms * News + Connecticut + Education + Politics + Election + Cannabis * Sports + GametimeCT + UConn + College + NFL + NBA + Hockey + MLB * Business * Entertainment + Things To Do + Comics + Puzzles * Real Estate * Shopping * Classifieds * Opinion * Living + Health + Food * Advertising Features + Events * Subscribe Recommended * Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin Proposed charter revisions create divide in Hartford * Frankie Dejesus, 25, of Waterbury, was charged with murder Monday afternoon after he allegedly shot and killed an 18-year-old in front of a deli on Willow Street last week. 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The blaze killed 7-year-old Summer Fawcett in May. Official: Cause of deadly Norwalk house fire is 'undetermined' * The Charter Communications corporate headquarters in Stamford, Conn., photographed on Monday, June 6, 2022. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons joined Charter leadership to cut the ribbon on the second building of the new Charter headquarters. Building 1, which opened in March 2021, covers about 532,000 square feet across 14 floors, Building 2 encompasses about 288,000 square feet across nine floors, and the three-story connecting structure contains about 94,000 square feet. Jury orders Charter to pay $7B in murder of customer * The UConn women's rowing team works out on Wangumbaug Lake in this September 2019 photo taken in Coventry Lake, Conn. The school's decision to cut the program is designed to help cut by $10 million the school's $43 million athletic department deficit as it deals with falling revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Jen Sanford via AP) Connecticut lake closed for weeks after blue-green algae outbreak * Former Stamford Democratic City Committee Chairman John Mallozzi enters state Superior Court in Stamford on Feb. 11, 2019. Mallozzi is being charged with 14 counts each of filing false statements and second-degree forgery in an identity-theft scheme involving absentee ballots stemming from the 2015 municipal election. Lawyer: Mallozzi is 'patsy' in state ballot fraud case News After massive bus fire, CT pulls electric fleet from service Abigail Brone July 26, 2022Updated: July 26, 2022 9:31 a.m. Facebook Twitter Email Officials said a lithium battery sparked a CTtransit bus fire in Hamden Saturday when temperatures soared to around 100 degrees. Officials said a lithium battery sparked a CTtransit bus fire in Hamden Saturday when temperatures soared to around 100 degrees. Hamden Fire Department One day after officials touted the passage of the Connecticut Clean Air Act, including plans for thousands of electric vehicles to hit the road, one of the state-run electric buses caught on fire over the weekend. The blaze engulfed a CTtransit bus in a Hamden parking lot Saturday morning, sending two workers and a firefighter to the hospital, officials said. "Lithium ion battery fires are difficult to extinguish due to the thermal chemical process that produces great heat and continually reignites," Hamden fire officials said. Two transit workers were hospitalized as a precaution after being exposed to the smoke. A firefighter was also taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion, officials said. The bus was delivered in December and began service in January, CTtransit spokesperson Josh Rickman said. "The bus, last operated on July 20, on routes 243 and 265, and was not in service at the time of the incident," Rickman said. "Bus fires are rare, but can occur similar to cars. This is CTtransit's first fire incident with a battery electric bus. Bus operators, maintenance staff and others undergo extensive training and safety protocols are in place." As a result of the fire, the electric bus fleet was pulled from service as a precaution, Rickman said. "The importance of rider safety is demonstrated by taking these buses out of service and ensuring a thorough investigation is completed prior to any redeployment of the fleet," Rickman said. "We have deployed diesel buses to make sure people get to where they need to be." The Saturday fire came one day after state officials gathered in New Haven, including Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe Giulietti, Gov. Ned Lamont, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes, to boast the success of the Clean Air Act that would restrict diesel vehicles and increase electric cars in the state. "There are approximately 800 buses that we are responsible for at the DOT that are being replaced with no-emissions electric models. They're quieter, they emit no emissions and they last longer," Giulietti said Friday. In addition to the electric state-run buses, public school buses will also shift to electric models, according to the governor's statement. The Clean Air Act will also prohibit the procurement of diesel-powered buses after 2023, according to the statement. Most Popular 1. After massive bus fire, CT pulls electric fleet from service 2. Pilot tried to smuggle 2 tons of cocaine for CT drug ring before plane crashed, prosecutors say 3. Robert Miller: So, you think you saw a mountain lion in CT? I thought so too once 4. Today Show co-host Craig Melvin to honor brother with Norwalk golf tournament 5. Alex Jones lawyer withdraws from Connecticut trial as 'musical chairs' of attorneys continues 6. Bobcats in Connecticut are on the hunt. Here's what to know if you see one. 7. Former Notre Dame-Fairfield state champ named coach of ice hockey team The bus fire in Hamden is still under investigation, DOT spokesperson Josh Morgan said. "The first battery electric buses came into service in the fall of 2020," Morgan said. "Today, there are 12 electric buses in Connecticut, and approximately 50 planned to be ordered." The first electric buses were placed in the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority in fall 2020, with plans for three more, according to DOT. The Bus Electrification Project, a partnership among DOT, DEEP and CTtransit, includes plans for electric public transit buses to be added across the state in the next few years. Twelve battery buses will go to New Haven and Stamford service areas, 10 in Waterbury and three in the University of Connecticut and Windham area. abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com Most Popular 1. After massive bus fire, CT pulls electric fleet from service 2. Pilot tried to smuggle 2 tons of cocaine for CT drug ring before plane crashed, prosecutors say 3. Robert Miller: So, you think you saw a mountain lion in CT? I thought so too once 4. Today Show co-host Craig Melvin to honor brother with Norwalk golf tournament 5. Alex Jones lawyer withdraws from Connecticut trial as 'musical chairs' of attorneys continues 6. Bobcats in Connecticut are on the hunt. Here's what to know if you see one. 7. Former Notre Dame-Fairfield state champ named coach of ice hockey team Photo of Abigail Brone Written By Abigail Brone Reach Abigail on I graduated with my master's in journalism from Columbia University in 2020. I received a bachelor's in journalism and English from the University of Connecticut in 2019. Before working for Hearst Connecticut Media Group I worked at the Journal Inquirer in Manchester, covering the towns of Enfield and Windsor. I have previously worked at the Hartford Courant, the Norwich Bulletin and the Republican-American. 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