Bus Safety Report - Bus fires in NSW in 2021

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This is the ninth annual summary report into bus fires in New South Wales. This year, 2021, saw an overall increase in the number and severity of bus fires and thermal incidents. The key takeaways from this summary report are:

• No passengers or staff were injured resulting from bus fires or related events in 2021.
• There were 106 fire and thermal incidents reported in 2021. This represented a 45% increase from 2020.
• There were nine fire incidents in 2021, up from seven in 2020.
• There was a significant increase in thermal events to 97 in 2021, up from from 66 in 2020. It should be noted that the low number of incidents 2020 was an outlier. The number of incidents reported in 2021 appears broadly consistent with that observed in 2018 and 2019.
•  Three buses were destroyed by fire in 2021, up from nil in 2020.
• Two fires resulted in major damage which was an increase from one in 2020.
• Three buses were saved from major damage by the activation of the engine bay fire suppression (EBFS) system.
• Most fire and thermal incidents (62%) originated in the wheel well area, 22% originated in the engine bay and 16% originated in the body of the bus.
• The majority of incidents (72) were the result of a mechanical issue (including issues with brakes), 18 were caused by a fault in the electrical system, 14 were caused by fluid leakage and 2 incidents were the result of arson.
• OTSI conducted full investigations into two bus fires that occurred in 2021 – Campbelltown and Glebe.
• OTSI published a Safety Alert and Safety Advisory Notice relating to the Campbelltown and Glebe bus fires.
• All NSW buses under TfNSW contract in the Sydney metropolitan area are now fitted with EBFS systems.
• Under a recent program coordinated and funded by TfNSW, Greater Sydney bus contract operators and supply contractors retrofitted 72 of their 88 double deck buses with enhanced water mist systems.