Falmouth fire officials are still investigating the cause of a Steamship Authority shuttle bus fire last Saturday at the Palmer avenue parking lot.
“It’s not suspicious, and they’re leaning toward a mechanical issue, but no specific cause found,” Falmouth deputy fire chief Timothy Smith said Wednesday.
No passengers were on board and no one was hurt in the fire, but the 39-passenger bus was a complete loss after it became fully engulfed in flames in the lower end of the Palmer lot. The incident occurred late Saturday morning at approximately 11:40 a.m.
About 15 other nearby vehicles were also damaged by fire.
In a news release after the incident, Steamship Authority spokesman Sean Driscoll said the bus was on its way from the Palmer lot to the Thomas Landers lot to pick up passengers, when a driver on another SSA shuttle bus saw smoke coming from the back of the bus and alerted his fellow driver.
The driver returned to the Palmer lot shortly before the bus erupted in flames.
In the release Mr. Driscoll said the boat line would contact the owners of the damaged vehicles to offer assistance.
The bus was two years old and one of 26 buses that shuttle passengers from SSA lots to the ferry terminal in Woods Hole.
This article appears in July 13, 2018.
Good Lord, now the SSA plague has spread to their buses? Let’s hope no one going home tomorrow reads this …
This is too scary for words.
The owners of the 15 damaged vehicles should sue the Steamship Authority for the full replacement of their incapacitated cars and trucks. In addition to that money, the SSA must reimburse those owners for the expenses they incurred in getting home without their vehicles, whether they rented cars or took taxis.
I imagine that this is a case for the insurance companies. What seems uncommon to us is probably “everyday” to them.
If the Steamship Authority offers all of that up front (full replacement vehicle cost, out of pocket costs for rentals, transportation, etc.), there should be no need to sue and fork out a whole lot of money for lawyers and court costs for a process which could take years. Given the exorbitant cost of suing someone, not to mention the stress and aggravation, and loss of time, suing should always be a last resort and employed only if a business or person is unwilling to be fair. The SSA’s liability insurance should take care of most of the damages and they can write checks for whatever that doesn’t cover.
Again, bad communication where is the so called communication director?????? I received no info on this
Mr. Hanover step down. My customer was on that bus and I lost my client. We need action not avacodo toast.
You seem to lose “clients” every time a butterfly flaps its wings in China. Maybe the problem isn’t the Steamship.
Funny Doug, the article says on one was onboard…. While there are issues with the SSA, your false claims only negative impact the problem ( and make you look silly )
I think homeboy here needs to find a new line of work
I am a businessman and I keep this island humming- my clients were on the bus . Do the math!
Doug, my car was damaged… not a call or word from SSA..
Doug, I feel your pain. My business has been down 78%..,,
Since this SSA lost it. I am willing to bet the folks at SSA have not seen a cut in there salaries..
My clients are very important to me…
Doug- Sorry to hear you lost clients…. this has been a disaster for all, friends car was damaged over at the lot.., no calls no explanations…even a joke from a SSA person joking they didn’t need to pay to park..
Hope no one was hurt
This is out of control and inexcusable… where is the leadership???
Luckily no passengsers were on board. BUT why would the driver of a smoking bus park so close to all those parked cars?? There had to be a safer more isolated spot to park, NO??
That occurred to me as well!
I had the same question
It does seem a strange choice to drive a bus on fire into the middle of a crowded parking lot.
spoken like a back seat driver
It was bus on standby in a parking lot. There hits a point where one can not account for every possibility here folks
Very scary indeed, reminiscent of the 1960’s impressive fireball I was nearly convinced it was a news flash out of Kabul, Afghanistan, thank goodness no one was injured…
The bus was two years old and I am sure under warranty .:.. it is the manufacture’s problem… if anyone is to be sued it is the manufacturer…you people have too much time on your hands.
Bridge! End of story. The increased traffic would be from day trippers as their only so many places to rent at a reasonable cost. More business for everyone and less cost for shipping etc.
Old diesel buses (linked to cancer) are massive polluters. They should save money and switch to electric coaches as VTA is showing leadership on. Electric school buses to come for kid’s health!