Trolley catches fire near gas station on East President Street

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A trolley fire in Savannah had crews responding to the area near the Parker’s on East President Street.

Staff at the Parker’s gas station say they got quite the scare when they were on their regular shift, looked out the window, and saw a trolley engulfed in flames.

Cell phone video shows the Old Savannah Tours trolley fully engulfed .

Savannah Fire says it was a mechanical fire.

Parker’s staff say they were checking out customers when the blaze started.

“Next thing we know, someone off of the tour bus, which I believe was one lady, ran in and said, ‘there’s a fire, there’s a fire,’” said Janine Simpson, a Parker’s employee.

We spoke to the trolley driver.

She didn’t want to go on camera but said she came to the Parker’s gas station to fill up her tank after dropping off a wedding party.

The driver said the trolley started filling up with smoke.

She says she then pulled out into the road away from the gas station. That’s when the trolley went up in flames.

The driver says she was the only person on the trolley when the fire broke out.

Parker’s staff say the fire started quickly.

“It was very big. We were very nervous, but we got the pump shut off. It definitely was within minutes before the tree next to it started to light up too,” said Simpson.

This isn’t the first time an Old Savannah Tours trolley has caught fire.

Back in May 2019, there was an engine electrical fire on an Old Savannah Tours trolley near Forsyth Park.

We tried to talk with Old Savannah Tour staff on scene but they declined comment.

Parker’s staff say they shut off the gas line following this fire and said the situation could’ve ended worse with flames so close to gas pumps.

“Had she been a few feet closer, it could’ve been very dangerous,” said Simpson.

Once the flames were out, crews switched to clean up efforts before the trolley was towed away.

Savannah Fire says no one was injured in the blaze.

There is no threat to surrounding gas stations or businesses.

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