NHTSA Complaint #10575770 — 2006 FORD E-450

THE PRELIMINARY REPORT REGARDING THE FIRE ONBOARD A COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS SOLDIERS HOME OWNED HANDICAPPED TRANSPORTATION BUS INDICATES THE FIRE CAUSE MAY HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS A 2006 FORD E- 450. AN ODOR OF SMOKE WAS REPORTED BY THE DRIVER, ENIO LOPEZ, JUST AFTER ASSISTING A VETERAN ONTO THE BUS AT THE CHELSEA SOLDIERS HOME. UPON REPORTING THE ODOR OF SMOKE, THE DRIVER WAS INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE THE VETERAN FROM THE VEHICLE AND SHUT THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE FLEET SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CHELSEA SOLDIERS HOME, UPON INVESTIGATING THE ODOR OF SMOKE LOCATED A FIRE IN THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE BUS IN THE ELECTRICAL PANEL. THEY CONTACTED THE CHELSEA FIRE DEPARTMENT AND GRABBED THE EXTINGUISHER ONBOARD TO ATTEMPT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. UPON DISCHARGING THE EXTINGUISHER, THE FIRE DID NOT GO OUT AND SEEMED TO BE INTENSIFYING ALSO SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE VISIBLE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A CAMPUS SECURITY OFFICER RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR MORE EXTINGUISHERS ASSISTED THEMIN FIGHTING THE FIRE. TWO MORE EXTINGUISHERS WERE PROVIDED TO THEM AND BY AN ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES SUPERVISOR AND EMPLOYEE. CHELSEA FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON SEEN AND FINISHED EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE, DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY AND OVERHAULING THE INTERIOR OF THE BUS TO EXTINGUISH THE REMAINING POCKETS OF FIRE. ONCE THE FIRE WAS COMPLETELY EXTINGUISHED THE BUS WAS TURNED BACK OVER TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS SOLDIERS HOME AND WAS TOWED TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION BEHIND VINNIE'S PLACE. *TR