Great Western Coffee Shop

A bendy bus has caught fire outside one of London's busiest railway stations.

Fire crews were called to deal with thick black smoke which was seen billowing from the vehicle on Terminus Place, opposite Victoria station, at about 0830 BST on Saturday.

All of those on board the bus escaped without injury.

Much of Terminus Place has been closed while investigations take place, although buses are stopping nearby. Victoria Tube station has now reopened.

The sub-surface Circle and District Lines had been prevented from stopping at the station while the fire was in progress.

Bendy buses, which were introduced in London in 2001, were temporarily taken out of service in 2005 when three of them caught fire.

They were only allowed back on the roads once special fire-suppression equipment had been fitted.

There was also a fire on another vehicle three years ago, with flames coming from its heating system.

Bendy bus fire at Victoria station 'could be arson'

Initial inspections on a bendy bus which caught fire outside a railway station suggest arson may have been to blame rather than a mechanical fault, Transport for London (TfL) has said.

Thick black smoke was seen billowing from the number 73 in Terminus Place beside Victoria station in central London on Saturday morning.

Only the driver was on board and escaped without injury.

The emergency services and TfL have launched investigations.

The Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade said their inquiries were continuing.

The bus stops outside Victoria are now in operation again, having been closed while the fire was extinguished.

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Nine people fled the bus unhurt after it caught fire at Medbourne roundabout

A bus with nine people on board burst into flames at a Milton Keynes roundabout.

The driver and eight passengers were on board as smoke and flames poured from the engine. They were taken to safety as fire crews tackled the fire at the back of the single decker bus at Medbourne roundabout, Grange Farm.

Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said the interior of the bus was cut open to ensure the fire had not spread.

A spokesperson for the bus operator Arriva said: "At 13:26 on Monday, 7 January one of our buses was travelling along Fulmer Street when the driver was made aware by a passenger that they had seen smoke from the rear of the vehicle.

"The driver pulled over off the roundabout at a safe place and evacuated all passengers from the bus. He immediately called the fire brigade and also tried to attempt to use the fire extinguisher himself to put out the fire and keep it under control.

"The fire brigade attended the scene and were able to extinguish the fire. The fire was contained in and around the engine compartment.

"A spare bus was taken to the stop so passengers were able to continue with their journey. Nobody was injured as a result of the fire."

Double decker bus catches fire in Marlborough, Wiltshire

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The rear of the double decker was engulfed by flames while on Marlborough High Street

Passengers fled from a double decker bus after it caught fire in Wiltshire.

The blaze was spotted when the bus was in High Street, Marlborough, at about 08:30 BST. Flames soon engulfed the rear of the vehicle.

A fire service spokesman said the driver had suffered from the effects of smoke inhalation but there had been no other injuries.

The High Street has been closed and Wiltshire Police said a diversion has been put in place.

Could have been worse - it could have happened in Longleat (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13897.0).  ;) :D ;D

(edited, very nervously, to fix quote - bobm)

Passengers flee as bus gutted by fire near Caernarfon

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One of the passengers said the bus was in flames within minutes but everyone got off safely

A bus company is investigating the cause of a fire which gutted one of its vehicles in Gwynedd.

About seven passengers and the driver had to flee the bus when it caught fire between Y Fron and Rhosgadfan, near Caernarfon, on Wednesday afternoon.

Nobody was injured - however the single-deck vehicle was completely destroyed by the blaze.

A spokesman for operators Express Motors said maintenance issues have already been ruled out as a cause.

Mother-of-two Lucy Price, 36, said she had been shopping in Caernarfon with a friend and was returning home when the fire started shortly before 15:00 BST.

"There were about seven passengers on the bus and the bus driver," she said. "We had just scaled a steep hill when the bus pulled over and it literally filled with black smoke within seconds. I was sitting on the back seat of the bus with my friend and we made our way safely to the front with everybody else and got off."

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Peter Thornton captured images of the bus - and later discovered his daughter had been on it

"Within about five minutes the bus was full of flames and there was a big bang and the windows blew out."

Ms Price praised the bus driver who made sure his passengers were safe, but she said the incident could have been a lot worse and she had a lucky escape.

Unknown to Ms Price, her father Peter Thornton arrived at the scene while on his way to collect his grandson from school and took some photographs of the burning bus.

A spokesman for Express Motors in Caernarfon, said: "We are looking into this incident in great depth and we're concerned about what has happened. But it was not as dramatic as some media reports are suggesting.

"We have great concern for our passengers and staff and the good name of our company. We pride ourselves on our service. The company has been operating for nearly 40 years under the present management.

"We do know the fire is not down to a poorly maintained vehicle. Our driver at the scene dealt with the incident in a prompt and professional manner and made sure the passengers got safely off the bus."

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Express Motors said the fire was not down to a poorly maintained vehicle

School coach catches fire in Ashcott

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The coach caught fire in Ashcott near Street

A school coach with about 40 children on board has caught fire in a Somerset village.

The coach was destroyed in the incident on the A39 in Ashcott, but all of the children got off safely.

The driver saw fire coming from the dashboard just before 08:30 BST and tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher.

Devon and Somerset fire service was called, and properties were evacuated, but everyone has now returned home.

The road is expected to be closed until about 11:30 BST while the vehicle is recovered. Power lines will also need to be checked for damage.

Shouldn't laugh, and glad there were no injuries, but 'fire coming from the dashboard' reminded me of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfiIiQfMPT4

 :D

But of course!  ;D

Double decker destroyed in south London fire

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The bus was out of service at the time

A double decker bus has been destroyed in a suspected engine fire in south London.

Fire broke out in the bus at about 09:20 GMT on Forest Hill Road in Wood Vale near to Honor Oak Park. Clouds of thick black smoke could be seen for miles around.

The route 172 bus was out of service when the fire broke out, with only the driver on board.

London Fire Brigade said the fire was quickly put out and no-one was hurt.

The Metropolitan Police said the blaze started with a suspected engine fire and was not suspicious.

Ken Davidson, Transport for London's head of bus operations said the fire was being investigated.

Where do bendy buses go to retire?

Malta, I'm told.

OTC

I seem to remember reading in Buses magazine that they've been banned from there some time ago after a series of engine fires.

Bendy buses sent from London to Malta taken off their roads after three burst into flames

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Up in smoke: Malta have suspended the fleet after three went up in flames

The doomed bendy buses decommissioned by London Mayor Boris Johnson and shipped to Malta have been taken off the roads by the government after three burst into flames in as many days. The fleet of 68 of the so-called ^chariots of fire^ have been temporarily suspended while an investigation into the causes of the blazes is carried out. So far this year nine bendy buses have caught fire, with Malta^s transport ministry instructing operator Arriva to remove the unpopular vehicles.

No-one has been injured, but the incidents have prompted a barrage of complaints from the public already angered that the 18-metre buses have been brought in to negotiate Malta^s narrow and winding historic roads.

The Maltese fleet was bought from London in 2011 after being phased out by the Mayor who replaced them with a new-generation Routemaster. They had a chequered history in the capital, with a number of fires breaking out and cyclists complaining they were unsafe for other road users.

Decommissioning the vehicles, Mr Johnson said: ^These writhing whales of the road have swung their hefty rear ends round our corners for the final time.^

In a statement, Arriva said: ^The safety of our passengers, employees and vehicles is central to our operations. To have incidents occur so closely together is extremely rare and as a result we are taking the precautionary step of bringing our vehicles in for a series of checks before returning them into active service. While these checks take place we have appointed another transport operator to support the delivery of day-to-day services and reduce the impact for our customers. We are ensuring that all routes are covered. We apologise for the disruption but ask passengers to bear with us while we conclude these important checks. We would like to reassure them that we are looking to resolve the disruption as soon as possible.^

Arriva said it expects it to take up to five weeks for all vehicles to be checked.

The Evening Standard story looks odd. There's a quote from Arriva - but I thought that they stopped running the buses on Malta att the end of 2013. Is this a re-cycling of an old story perhaps?

Bus engulfed by fireball on Kingston High Street

A bus erupted into a fireball on a busy street during rush hour, causing people to be evacuated from their homes and businesses.

The 371 service became engulfed in flames on High Street, Kingston, south-west London, at about 09:00 GMT.

The driver was taken to hospital for treatment for the effects of breathing in smoke.

There had been fears the bus might explode, although the fire has since been brought under control.

One witness told The Telegraph the scene was "pretty chaotic".

Witness Martin Delaney said: "The road was taped off, there were acrid burning smells, local shops' fire alarms or smoke detectors had been triggered - it was quite a mess."

No passengers required medical treatment. Transport for London said there would be a full investigation into the fire, the cause of which is not yet known.

Kingston High Street remains closed.

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Coach carrying 25 schoolchildren catches fire

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The children were safely evacuated from the bus after the smell of smoke was detected

A coach carrying children to school caught fire on route to its destination in West Sussex.

Smoke was smelt on the bus, which had 25 children on board, at 08:20 BST on Vowels Lane, near East Grinstead.

Head teacher at Imberhorne School, Martin Brown, said all the pupils managed to get out safely before the blaze took hold.

"They are now in school and being monitored in case of any shock or upset after the event," he added.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

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The children are being monitored at school for "shock and upset"

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The children were kept a safe distance from the burning bus, the school said

Ashington driver 'crashed to save passengers' in French Alps

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The coach quickly became a "complete inferno", the inquest heard

A bus driver died when he deliberately crashed to save his passengers from plummeting off a road in the French Alps, an inquest has heard.

Maurice Wrightson drove into boulders on the narrow mountain road when he realised his brakes had failed.

Mr Wrightson, 63, from Ashington, died in the April 2013 crash and four of the 50 passengers were seriously injured.

French investigators said the driver "undoubtedly prevented" a more serious crash, Berwick Coroner's Court heard.

The coach, which was carrying British staff from the French ski resort Alpe d'Huez, was approaching the 21st hairpin bend on the D211 road.

Nathan Woodland, 39, the co-driver of the coach operated by County Durham-based Classic Coaches, told the inquest he felt the bus twitch and quickly became aware something was wrong.  He said: "Suddenly Maurice looked at me with a very shocked look on his face.  He said 'it's not stopping us'."

He said Mr Wrightson gripped the wheel very tightly and braced himself against his seat to apply more pressure to the brake.  Mr Woodland said: "I stepped into the aisle and shouted, 'grab a hold, hold tight'."

He then described how the coach smashed into the boulders and he was thrown a number of rows back.  As he picked himself up he saw people desperately trying to escape and flames begin to engulf the coach, which quickly turned into a "complete inferno".

He said the clothing of one woman, who was sitting behind the driver, caught fire as she was pulled from the bus by another passenger.

Speaking at the time, French transport minister Frederic Cuvillier said Mr Wrightson "showed remarkable courage" and avoided a "much heavier loss of life".

The inquest jury heard the French report concluded the brake failed as the pad had been "completely destroyed by excessive heating" due to the "poor condition of the hydraulic retarder".

The inquest continues.

'Amazing escape' for students after bus catches fire

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The driver of this school bus has been praised for his quick-thinking after it burst into flames in the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said the vehicle was travelling on the A449, near British Camp, at 08:39 when it caught fire and the students had to be quickly led to safety.

The road had to be closed while the blaze was put out and the fire service called it "an amazing escape for a coachload of students".

Another incident, from the BBC:

A coach carrying members of Chobham Rugby Football Club caught on fire on Saturday (March 10)
ByAnn Yip    17:37, 10 MAR 2018Updated17:47, 10 MAR 2018

Members of a rugby club abandoned a match after their coach caught on fire.

About a dozen Chobham Rugby Football Club members who were on their way to a memorial match against Paignton RFC luckily escaped the burning coach safely.

They were left with no option but to watch as huge flames swallowed the vehicle and their belongings.

Players from the club's veterans team said the back of the coach they were travelling on caught fire at about 11.30am on Saturday (March 10) near Exeter Airport.

The coach driver was warned by passing car drivers of a fire at the back of the bus. It was then that the driver stopped the bus to allow passengers out.
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A coach with Chobham Rugby Club members caught on fire (Image: Chobham Rugby Club)

Rugby club members were unable to open a door to retrieve their valuable kit and belongings.

Duncan Souster, a Chobham Rugby member who was travelling on the coach, said: "We were two-thirds of the way down the journey and a car passed us on the outside lane. They were flagging us down and wanting us to talk to the driver.

"He had his window down and was waving his arms out to tell the driver there was a fire at the back of the coach.

He added: "So the bus driver quickly pulled us over on the hard shoulder and we got out and watched the bus burn.

"Everybody just got up and got off the coach immediately and I realised that there was actually fire at the back. I thought it would just be smoke.

"All of our kit was in the first locker by the door, but we weren’t able to open the door. That was all of the playing strip, all our overnight bags, our personal possessions.

"We were supposed to wear our tour rugby shirts which we've had for years. Some guys have lost wallets and car keys.

"We had to stand at a distance and watch the fire happen.

"There were flames licking beyond the central reservation. It blew all the windows out, all the tyres, the whole bus was gutted. They stopped traffic in both directions for about an hour.

"We've managed to walk a mile to get a £100 cab down to Paignton," he said.

Mr Souster said if not for the loss of their playing kits, he would have been happy to continue with the match, which had been scheduled for 1pm.

He said: "Unfortunately, the game couldn't happen.

"This fixture has been going on for more than 20 years. Nothing would have stopped us playing the game. It's a memorial match as well."

Speaking about what happens now, Mr Souster said: "We’ve got to go buy some clothes and things overnight and we’re waiting to find out about a coach to get home tomorrow.

"The coach company said they’d sort that out for us.

"I haven’t worked out what was in my overnight bag which was lost in the fire. My rugby gear, my playing top. I’ve got no clothes for changing into."

Why do Rome's buses keep catching fire?

A public bus engulfed in flames in a European capital - but no one in Rome thought to blame terrorism.

Instead they wearily pointed the finger at the city's beleaguered transport authority, Atac.

The blaze on the number 63 bus, which happened on the busy Via del Tritone shopping street in the city centre on Tuesday, was the ninth this year and follows 22 more last year.

So frequent have the fireballs become that they have their own social media hashtag #flambus (which rhymes with Trambus, Atac's previous name).

"Only in Rome does a bus explode in the heart of the city and people immediately blame Atac, with no thought of terrorism. It says a lot about our emergencies," said journalist Raffaella Menichini on social media.

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Atac blamed an ageing fleet and said the number of incidents was down on last year.  In its statement, Atac said no passengers had been hurt. But local media reported that a shop assistant working in a store near where the bus caught fire had been taken to hospital suffering from a burn to the arm and shock.

No passengers have been hurt in previous fires either, local reports say. But observers fear that it is only a matter of time before there are victims.  "Every day there is greater risk," wrote transport consultant Fabio Rosati, adding that an "urgent plan" to replace buses was needed.

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Journalist Michele Galvani accused the city authorities of "playing with citizens' lives".  "Today could have been a massacre. In which other European capital do buses explode like this? These jokers play with citizens' lives and continue to make announcements," he said.

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In March after the year's fifth bus fire, union officials warned of the risks to travellers.  "Atac services are unsafe. Drivers just have to pray that nothing happens and we don't want to think about what could happen when the hot weather comes because if we wait for this authority to solve the problem then we're in trouble. Or indeed, incinerated," the Faisa Confail union's regional secretary Claudio De Francesco told Roma Today.

The transport authority said the Mercedes Citaro bus that caught fire in Via del Tritone dated from 2003 and said its fleet "unfortunately has a very high average age".

Preliminary investigations say the bus suffered a short circuit before the blaze broke out, La Repubblica reported.

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Unions say the buses suffer from a lack of maintenance

The fire began at the back of the bus and the bus driver quickly evacuated passengers before the flames spread, the newspaper said.

Video posted on social media appeared to show smoke pouring out of the back of the bus before an explosion accompanied by a loud bang that scattered onlookers.

Initial attempts to put the fire out with fire extinguishers failed but firefighters were on the scene shortly afterwards.

Drivers' unions say the buses suffer from a lack of maintenance. A series of internal investigations have failed to stop the fires.

Last month a bus that was just five years old caught fire, The Local reported.

Atac insists that it has increased fire-prevention measures and says that these have reduced fires by a quarter this year.

That is not enough for some, however. Carlo Rienzi from the consumer rights group Codacons said the "umpteenth" fire had prompted his organisation to demand that the public prosecutor take buses out of circulation if safety cannot be guaranteed.  "We can no longer be silent about what seems to all intents and purposes an emergency," Codacons said in a statement.

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The blaze left a nearby building's facade blackened

Some on social media have blamed the administration of Mayor Virginia Raggi.  She is from the populist Five Star Movement and won power in 2016 promising to improve the city's notorious transport, water and rubbish services, which have long been plagued by corruption and a lack of investment.

Rome newspaper Diario Romano said Ms Raggi had not got to grips with the city's transport problems and accused her of "two years of failure".

One left-wing activist even compared her leadership to that of Emperor Nero from classical Rome, who is popularly said to have played the fiddle as fire devastated the city in the year 64.  "Not even Nero did what Raggi is doing," the activist said on social media.

In view of the number of such incidents, I wonder if the engine compartments of buses should be fitted with automatic fire extinguishers ?
These are often fitted to the engine compartments of motor yachts.

In this case, the rest of the world has beaten you to it. Bus and coach safety is governed, for odd historical reasons, but UN (UNECE) regulations. For new full-size coaches (class III vehicles) fire suppression in engine compartments is compulsory from this year. For buses (classes I and II) this will be so also from 2020.

There are still technical issues around how best to do this in practice. The fire service's approach, water flooding, calls for so much water it would be very hard to fit it in (boats have an advantage here). Gas flooding only works in almost sealed compartments. The systems on offer use alternatives such as dry powder, foam, mist, etc. I imagine that vehicle makers have also been working on different ways to put boxes round the engine and other systems to help with this.