PHOTOS: A three-alarm fire that engulfed multiple SEPTA buses at a yard in the Nicetown section of Philadelphia on Thursday is now under control, but lingering smoke could impact air quality. The decommissioned buses caught fire at the agency’s Midvale depot located off Roberts Avenue, around 6:15 a.m., a SEPTA spokesperson said. Smoke from the fire was visible across the city and residents nearby were urged to stay in their homes and avoid the smoke as much as possible.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health said no hazardous substances have been identified, but the smoke should be avoided out of an abundance of caution. The buses that caught fire were “getting ready to go to the scrap heap,” Andrew Busch, SEPTA’s director of communications, said. “As far as we know right now, none of our in-service buses are in the vicinity or threatened by this,” Busch said.
The fire was placed under control just after 8 a.m., according to the Philadelphia Fire Department. More than 150 firefighters responded to the incident, Assistant Chief Charles Walker said. There were challenges getting access to the yard and running lines to transport water to areas where it was needed. SEPTA workers helped move some buses that were not involved in the fire out of the way to make room for firefighters, Walker said. No injuries have been reported.
