In the early hours of Thursday, June 5th, a major bus parking lot in the Nicetown area of Philadelphia on the East Coast was engulfed in a large fire, with thick smoke billowing from the scene and at least 20 buses catching fire.
According to media reports, the fire broke out at the Roberts Yard SEPTA Railroad Facility, which is under the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), and is the largest bus yard in Philadelphia located at 300 Roberts Avenue.
The fire erupted around 6 a.m. local time and firefighters managed to contain the blaze around 8 a.m.
Aerial footage from the scene shows dark smoke pouring out of the area, with several fire trucks working tirelessly to extinguish the fire. Charles Walker, Assistant Fire Chief of SEPTA, mentioned that over 150 firefighters responded to the incident.
SEPTA stated that the buses that caught fire were retired and no longer in operation, stored at the largest bus facility of the agency. Andrew Busch, SEPTA’s Communications Manager, mentioned that the buses that caught fire were “about to go into the scrap heap.”
Fortunately, there were no casualties reported from the fire, and it did not affect the current bus services. Busch stated, “As far as we know, none of the buses we are currently operating are near the area or at risk from the fire.”
The cause of the fire has not been disclosed yet, and the exact number of damaged vehicles is still pending confirmation.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has initiated an air quality investigation and advised people to avoid the area and stay indoors as much as possible. They stated that no harmful substances have been detected so far, but as a precaution, it is best to limit exposure to the smoke.
SEPTA is the official transportation authority of Pennsylvania, serving Philadelphia and five surrounding counties. It is one of the few comprehensive transportation agencies in the U.S. that operates regional rail, buses, trolleys, subway, and high-speed lines, connecting with the transportation networks of New Jersey and Delaware.
According to CBS reports, the fire also affected traffic in the area. Streets near the fire scene have been closed, and on Highway 1, traffic congestion has occurred due to people parking or slowing down to watch the fire.