FOI Request 1967

Subject: Electric Bus Fires

Status: Complete

Date Received: January 2024


Question Asked:

Please could you inform me of the numbers of incidents your brigade has attended for fires on: 

1. electric buses (where the battery was believed to be the cause of the fire)?

2. hybrid-powered buses (those with duel power; electric and usually diesel or petrol where the battery or hybrid power supply was believed to be the cause of the fire)?

If you could break that down for the (financial or calendar) years for 2023, 2022 and 2021, if that data is available.  If there have been any such incidents this year (2024), I would also like to receive that.  

3) Based on the assumption that such incidents are relatively low, can you provide details of each incident, including perhaps the when, where, owner of the vehicle (i.e. is it a public transport bus, minibus, schoolbus, double-decker, single-decker etc) and any other recorded particulars about the nature of the fire i.e. was the fire localised to the battery, did it spread, was the vehicle burnt out, were any other vehicles of buildings ignited, how many appliances and firefighters were in attendance, how long did it take to extinguish the fire/make it safe and were there reports of any injuries?

4) Again, based on the assumption that such incidents are infrequent, was the fire service ever required to write a report on any of the incidents. If so, could I have a copy of any such reports? I accept that may involve some redactions. 


Our Response:

Currently the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service Incident Recording System (IRS) has insufficient facilities for the comprehensive recording, and subsequent analysis, of the involvement of electric vehicles at fires attended.  Therefore, due to the specific information asked for, we cannot provide the data requested.



Outcome: Data Not Held

FOI Responded to within timescales: YES

Further action: NO


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Last updated: Wednesday, 22 October 2025


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