This spectacular video is currently making the rounds on social networks: a bus is on fire.
The video is being circulated along with claims that the burning vehicle is a battery-powered electric bus.
A fake story – because the clip actually has a different background.
The bus from the video is not an electric car. The posts on social media are propaganda against electric cars.
According to the local fire department, the fire happened on April 16 in Perugia, Italy.
A spokeswoman for the fire department told Reuters news agency that the bus was powered by diesel and natural gas.
Photographs by the local fire department show the burned-out bus from different perspectives.
On the front of the vehicle there is a logo like the one in this photo of a comparable bus – the lettering reads: “I drive with methane”.
The case makes it clear how easily videos can be taken out of context to create atmosphere on the internet. A burning natural gas bus is said to become a vehicle with an electric motor.
How do we check videos for manipulation in the editorial office? It is important to look at the details. The individual frames of a video often reveal whether a video has been edited. We take a close look at each image and enlarge individual sections. Indications of a fake are, for example: lack of motion blur, unnatural shadows or editing errors. The general rule at stern is: Seriousness before speed. We always double-check facts and material thoroughly before publishing them. For this we work with the cross-editorial “Team Verification” together with RTL, NTV, RTL2, Radio NRW.