On Thursday (January 2) morning, a fire destroyed seven hydrogen fuel cell buses at a depot near Belfort, France, with no injuries reported.
According to local reports, the fire at the Optymo bus depot in Danjoutin broke out at around 2:30 a.m. local time, and loud explosions could be heard several kilometres away.
Local fire and rescue services responded and brought the fire under control.
H2 View understands containment measures were put in place following air pollution analyses within a 500-metre radius. These measures have since been lifted.
The cause of the fire currently remains unknown. Authorities say they are reviewing video footage from the site to determine whether the fire was accidental.
What we know about the site
McPhy has confirmed that a hydrogen production and distribution station supplied by the French green hydrogen firm is located around 100 metres from the depot but remained undamaged and unaffected.
Operated by EDF subsidiary Hynamics, the site was inaugurated in 2024 boasting 1MW of hydrogen production capacity and a refuelling station to deliver hydrogen to vehicles at 350 bar.
Optymo initially deployed seven hydrogen-fuelled buses from Van Hool with plans to expand the fleet to 27 buses.
The incident is likely to reignite discussions about the safety and suitability of hydrogen as a fuel for mobility, particularly in public transport.
While hydrogen is widely regarded as a key component in the decarbonisation of heavy-duty transport, incidents like these can fuel scepticism about the technology’s reliability and safety measures.
Critics may point to the inherent challenges of storing and handling hydrogen, while proponents will likely emphasise the importance of rigorous safety protocols and the lessons learned from such events.
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