Electric monocycle smokes up Wrocław bus, passengers leave, no one hurt
An electric monocycle carried by a passenger switched on by itself on an MPK Wrocław bus on 23 September, damaging the floor and filling the cabin with smoke. The operator published surveillance footage of the incident on Tuesday, 13 October.
What happened on the bus
On 23 September a man boarded an MPK Wrocław bus at the Rondo Rotmistrza Witolda Pileckiego junction carrying an electric monocycle, although the network bans such devices. The driver did not notice the device when the passenger got on. During the journey the monocycle switched itself on, damaged the floor of the vehicle and filled the interior with smoke. The driver stopped the bus and passengers left it quickly. Gazeta Wrocławska says the incident took place in the second half of September 2026, but the operator only released the footage on Tuesday, 13 October.
The driver's response
Barbara Balicka of the MPK Wrocław press office said the driver stopped the bus, secured the scene and told passengers to leave the vehicle. The driver then established the source of the danger, looked after everyone on board and alerted the emergency services and supervisors. The operator says no one was injured. MPK Wrocław president Witold Woźny praised the driver in the operator's Facebook post.
We especially thank the driver, who showed vigilance, composure and professionalism.
The operator published the footage on Tuesday, 13 October, together with a reminder of its rules on personal transport devices.
Timeline of the incident
The footage shows the monocycle activating inside the bus, after which the cabin quickly turned grey with smoke. The incident itself was recorded on 23 September, and the public release of the video followed on 13 October. Gazeta Wrocławska described the interior as turning grey within moments of the device starting.
- Monocycle switches on inside an MPK Wrocław bus, damaging the floor and filling it with smoke
- MPK Wrocław publishes surveillance footage of the incident
Why the ban applies
MPK Wrocław's ban covers electric scooters, electric monocycles, electric skateboards, Segways and electric bicycles. The operator gives two reasons. First, the batteries in these devices cannot be checked for their technical condition before a passenger boards. Second, the devices often weigh from a dozen to several dozen kilograms and can move around the vehicle during sudden braking or a collision. The operator also pointed to other incidents this year, including one in which a transported electric bicycle fell onto a passenger.
Barbara Balicka of MPK Wrocław's press office explained the battery risk.
These devices are equipped with batteries whose technical condition cannot be verified before boarding the vehicle.
The operator says a malfunction, damage or uncontrolled activation of such a battery could endanger passengers, drivers and tram motormen alike.
