A city bus exploded after charging at a hydrogen charging station in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, resulting in injuries to three individuals.
The incident occurred around 11:10 a.m. when the bus, which had just finished charging, detonated while a person was walking behind it. Eyewitnesses reported seeing black smoke and debris flying in all directions, indicating the severity of the explosion.
The bus involved in the explosion was scheduled for repairs due to a fault code that appeared in its instrument cluster. According to Yoon Yoo-seop, a bus company official, “Before moving to Gamgok, where Hyundai Motor’s large service center is located, a failure code starting with an F was found.” Fortunately, the three injured individuals, including a charging station employee in his 30s, were taken to the hospital but are reported to have non-life-threatening injuries.
Following the explosion, the Korea Gas Safety Corporation conducted an inspection of the hydrogen charging station’s storage room and compressor to assess any risk of secondary accidents. Hong Seung-woon from the corporation confirmed that there were no gas leaks detected at the storage room or compressor during their checks.
In response to the incident, Chungju City has suspended operations of all 18 hydrogen buses in the region and initiated inspections to ensure safety.
This incident raises concerns about safety protocols at hydrogen charging stations and highlights the need for thorough investigations to prevent future occurrences.
