LION Electric School Buses to Return to Service After Fire Investigation
LION Electric school buses in Quebec are set to gradually return to service starting monday,following a fire in Montreal earlier this week that prompted a province-wide inspection. The company announced the plan Friday night, receiving approval from the Quebec Automobile Insurance Company (SAAQ) and with the support of Transport Canada.
The incident, which occurred tuesday, involved a bus owned by Transco (a subsidiary of First Student).First Student identified a “wiring issue” and reported it to both LION Electric and Transport Canada. Following the fire,the Quebec Education Ministry temporarily halted service for all 1,200 LION school buses,citing a potential “defect.” fortunately,the bus driver successfully evacuated the five children on board before the fire escalated,and no injuries were reported.
LION Electric confirmed that the fire was not related to the electric battery or propulsion system. The company has issued an inspection bulletin to all operators, outlining procedures to inspect and repair the de-icing system as a preventative measure. Inspectors are currently examining all LION Electric buses in Quebec throughout the weekend.
While the cause of the fire remains under investigation by Transport Canada – hampered by the extent of the damage - this is the third incident involving a LION Electric school bus since November. Despite these fires, no injuries have occurred in any of them.
The SAAQ has confirmed LION Electric has a “safe process in place” for returning buses to service, but it remains unclear which buses will be immediately available for school transport. Technical analysis continues in collaboration with Transport Canada to pinpoint the root cause of Tuesday’s incident.
