Fire Damages Buses At DDOT Terminal; Expect Service Delays [VIDEO]

DETROIT (WWJ) - DDOT bus service is expected to be delayed citywide Friday after a fire broke out at a terminal on the east side, damaging several buses.

The incident unfolded around 1:30 a.m. at the DDOT Shoemaker Terminal on St. Jean Street, just south of I-94 and Conner.

Dan Dirks, DDOT Director, said the fire started after a bus had finished its runs for the night and pulled into a bay.

"The buses are serviced and they're cleaned, they get fuel, and then they put them in line so they can go out the next morning," Dirks told WWJ's Laura Bonnell. "And so it's when the coach service attendant pulled it in, shut the vehicle off and he did a visual inspection, and noticed there was some smoke coming out of the back where the engine is."

The worker called 911 and fire crews quickly responded to the scene as DDOT employees moved as many buses as they could from the growing fire.

"It was probably an engine fire," said Dirks. "We'll have both internal and external folks talk a look at it to determine the exact cause."

No injuries were reported.

DDOT Deputy Commissioner Dave Fornell says eight buses sustained damages in the fire, and two of the eight bays at the terminal are damaged.

"There's basically nothing but twisted metal and burned and charred wood and everything else," he said. "It's pretty much burned out and it's now going to be a salvage operation."

Due to the fire, all routes will be covered but some may experience delays up to 30 minutes.

The complete list of affected routes will be provided later this morning. Passengers can view real-time route information by downloading the DDOT bus app or using Text-My-Bus by texting their nearest location or intersection to 50464 to find out what time their bus will arrive at any designated stop.

Stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 and CBSDetroit.com for the latest.