A morning route turned chaotic on Wednesday when a Los Angeles Unified School District electric bus burst into flames, forcing the closure of nearby freeway ramps and sending a plume of black smoke billowing over the San Fernando Valley.
The blaze was reported at approximately 9:20 a.m. in the 11460 block of West Foothill Boulevard, directly beneath the 210 Freeway overpass. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), emergency crews arrived to find the heavy-duty vehicle well-involved in fire.
Authorities confirmed that no students were on board at the time of the incident. The driver, whose identity has not been released, was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported.
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Firefighters battled the stubborn flames for over an hour, achieving a “knockdown” by 10:55 a.m. Because the bus was powered by high-voltage lithium-ion batteries, crews remained on the scene for several hours to monitor for potential thermal runaway—a chemical reaction that can cause battery fires to spontaneously reignite even after appearing extinguished.
The incident comes amidst a shifting national landscape for electric mass transit. While the previous administration under President Joe Biden heavily subsidized the transition to electric fleets, the current political and industrial climate has seen a recalibration of those goals.
In October 2024, the Federal Transit Administration issued safety advisories regarding recalls on nearly 500 electric transit buses due to defect concerns. More recently, the auto industry has seen major players like General Motors adjust their electrification timelines, while Chrysler issued a recall in November affecting over 320,000 plug-in hybrid SUVs over battery fire risks.
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President Donald Trump, now in his second term, has moved to dismantle several EV mandates, signing an executive order in January aimed at removing regulatory pressure on manufacturers and emphasizing “true consumer choice.”
The cause of Wednesday’s fire remains under active investigation by LAFD arson investigators and district officials.
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