A fire tore through a private parking lot in La Paz’s Colonia Domingo Carballo Félix on Monday night, destroying three out-of-service buses and partially damaging two others. No injuries were reported.
The blaze was reported during the evening hours on June 30. Flames consumed three decommissioned bus units before spreading to two additional vehicles parked nearby, which sustained partial damage. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
Out-of-Service Buses Stored at Private Lot
All three destroyed buses had been taken out of active service prior to the fire. The vehicles were stored at a privately operated lot in the Domingo Carballo Félix neighborhood, located in the southern part of La Paz near the city’s commercial corridors.
Authorities have not released details about who owns the lot or the bus units. It remains unclear how long the decommissioned buses had been parked at the site or whether any fire safety measures were in place at the storage facility.
No Injuries Reported
Emergency responders confirmed that no one was injured in the incident. The parking lot was not in use for passenger operations at the time, and the buses were unoccupied.
La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, relies on a mix of public and private bus operators for daily commuter transport. The loss of even retired units can affect future fleet availability, as older buses are sometimes refurbished and returned to service when demand increases or newer vehicles break down.
The Domingo Carballo Félix neighborhood sits in a largely residential and light-commercial area of the city. Fires at vehicle storage lots, while uncommon in La Paz, pose risks to surrounding properties due to the fuel and lubricants stored in parked vehicles.
Investigators have not said whether the fire is considered suspicious. An official determination of the cause is expected in the coming days.
This story was first reported by Noticias La Paz.