In Kyiv, a Tatra T3 tram caught fire during a power outage

In Kyiv, a Tatra T3 tram caught fire during a power outage

In Kyiv, on Saturday, November 8, a fire broke out on a tram belonging to the municipal enterprise "Kyivpastrans". The tram caught fire in the evening, at a time when more than half of the city was without power due to a Russian attack on energy infrastructure, including the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant the day before. It is unclear whether the fire is related to the supply of voltage to the contact wires; however, in a video recorded by random passersby, an electric arc can be seen flashing above the tram.

This was reported by Informator.

The fire on the tram in Kyiv on the evening of Saturday, November 8, 2025, was reported by local Telegram channels. They noted that the vehicle caught fire right near the "Beresteiska" metro station, on the border of the Shevchenkivskyi and Solomianskyi districts of the capital. The flames engulfed an old Tatra T3 carriage, one of the most common public transport units in Kyiv.

In the video recorded by eyewitnesses, it is visible how the tram carriage ignites and begins to emit smoke. There are still passengers inside – it can be seen how they start to panic within the cabin. It is unclear whether the tram driver is inside at that moment; however, it is noticeable that at some point, the doors of the vehicle are open – thus, the driver likely performed the most critical function to save the passengers’ lives.

In the next moment, the tram carriage and everything around it is illuminated by a pure blue light. An electric arc appeared above the tram – a type of electrical discharge accompanied by bright light, the release of a large amount of heat, and sound. The cause of the fire itself remains unclear – thus, it can be assumed that the issue lies in a malfunction of the carriage or the power outage that occurred in Kyiv the day before.

It should be noted that the day before, "Kyivpastrans" reported delays in the operation of several public transport routes, including trams, due to the lack of voltage in the electrical network. This applies to tram routes №1, 2, 3, and 15 (as well as others, though transport officials did not officially mention them).