We’ve all enjoyed a good schadenfreude-chuckle at tall trucks get their roofs sardine-canned by low bridges like the famous 3.35m 8 bridge. Occasionally, though, the consequences of a low bridge on a tall vehicle can be a lot more dramatic, as this natural gas-powered bus in Stockholm proved a few days ago.
So, what happened here? Why did that bus explode just because it was too tall for the tunnel?
The answer lies in the fact that it was a natural gas-powered bus, and that type of bus has its fuel tank of light natural gas on the roof. When the bus’ roof impacted the low tunnel, there must have been some spark from the impact that ignited the gas, causing the dramatic explosion.
Luckily, the bus was not in service and so it had no passengers aboard. The driver did have to go to the hospital to be treated for burns, but, all things considered, this could have been a lot worse.
The bus driver was taking the bus to the start of the route in the northern section of Stockholm, but had somehow ended up on the wrong route, which is why the bus encountered the too-low bridge.
Traffic was a mess for a while in Stockholm as the bus burned dramatically, but things were cleared by Monday afternoon.
So, watch your heads, people, especially if you’re wearing a gas-filled hat.