Horror moment London double decker bus is engulfed by flames as firefighters swarm area | UK | News
While the capital was under the influence of a heat wave, a double-decker bus caught fire in West London. An electric double-decker bus and two electric vehicle charging points were destroyed by a fire at Westbourne Park bus depot on Wednesday evening.
After the London Fire Brigade was called at 18.23, 4 fire trucks and around 25 firefighters attended the incident. The teams took the fire under control at 19.11 and remained at the scene until the evening. The road outside the depot was closed in both directions, disrupting bus routes 28, 31 and 328. Westbourne Park station was also temporarily closed before reopening later in the evening. A spokesman for London Fire Brigade said: “The fire destroyed a double-decker electric bus. Two electric vehicle charging points were also destroyed. No injuries were reported. The Brigade was first called to the fire in 1823 and crews brought the incident under control in 1911.
“Firefighters will remain at the scene until the evening. Crews from North Kensington and Paddington fire stations attended the scene. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Brigade’s Fire Investigation Team.”
Dramatic images shared on social media showed flames engulfing the bus as employees wearing high-visibility clothing watched nearby.
The incident came as the UK recorded its warmest June day since records began, with the Met Office reporting a provisional temperature of 36.1 degrees in Gosport, Hampshire, beating the previous June record of 35.6 degrees set in 1976.
Earlier in the day, the Metro reported that a bus in another part of London had been removed due to the heat.
Rail operators have also urged passengers to only travel if absolutely necessary as rising temperatures impact services, while large parts of the London Underground network have also been disrupted.
Many London landmarks, including Tower Bridge, the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, were closed due to the heat.
Changing of the Guard ceremonies in London and Windsor have also been postponed until Thursday.
Meanwhile, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) has asked electricity suppliers to increase generation capacity as demand for electricity rises as many people rely on fans and air conditioning to stay cool.
