In a developing news story, a pair of Universal Orlando Resort buses has caught fire outside of Epic Universe.
Universal Bus Fire Update: Since originally posting this story, Universal officials have confirmed the fire was quickly extinguished and no injuries were reported. In a statement to WESH2 News, they added, “We’re grateful to the Orange County fire department for their swift response. Safety remains our top priority.”
Epic Universe Bus Fire
The story of the fire was shared in a video from local news station WESH2. The reporter in the video notes that the buses were stationed “just outside of Epic Universe” but does not mention the exact street or location.
Universal Bus Fire Update
Update: Universal has now clarified that the fire occurred in the area of the bus depot near Epic Universe.
The reporter describes both buses as “completely charred” and notes that it looks like the fire was just put out as of the time of the live video, which was updated at 12:18 p.m. First responders were visible at the scene using hoses to continue spraying the buses. The reporter also mentions that it appears portions of the buses are “still smoldering.”
Both show signs of a major fire, with the roofs of the buses almost completely removed and black around almost all the window holes. The original report dubs them “tour buses,” but they are definitely Universal-branded, as the Universal globe logo is clearly visible on the back of the buses.
Upon closer inspection, both appear to be part of the new electric bus fleet that recently debuted at Universal Orlando Resort earlier this year, just prior to the opening of Epic Universe. A spokesperson from Orange County Fire Rescue later confirmed with local news station WKMG that “the two buses impacted were electric buses which run on lithium batteries.”
The bright purple paint most closely resembles the Transformers-themed bus seen in the above image, though the electric buses come in multiple colors with wraps based on other characters as well. These electric buses most commonly run on the loop between Epic Universe and CityWalk, though they have been seen stopping at other locations.
More Photos of Universal Bus Fire
Update: Approximately 2 or 3 hours after the fire was put out, aerial photographer @bioreconstruct visited the scene to take some additional pictures. Both buses are still standing in the same spot where they caught fire in the bus depot.
As seen from the skies, the fire is no longer smoldering and most first responders are no longer stationed at the scene. The bus on the right appears to be more damaged than the bus on the left, though both have no roof or windows.
There is still no information on what caused the Universal bus fire or whether anyone was on the buses at the time of the fire.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.
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