Binfield Heath: Passengers flee from burning bus

A woman has thanked the people who came to help when a bus erupted in a ball of flames.

The 800 Arriva service was travelling through Binfield Heath in Oxfordshire when a passing motorist flagged it down because of black smoke coming out of the engine.

Passers-by and residents came to assist as the fire spread to overhead cables.

Passenger Grace Evans said the man who flagged the bus down "probably saved 30 lives - myself and baby included."

The incident happened on Shiplake Row at about 17:00 BST on Thursday.

Ms Evans, from Reading, was on board the High Wycombe to Reading service when the driver pulled over and asked everyone to disembark.

'Fireball'

She told the BBC: "The driver obviously saw there was danger... so we all jumped off... and at that point he must have seen flames and he told everyone to move down the street.

"Within 30 minutes the whole bus was engulfed, the windows popped, the tyres popped, the fuel tank went, the electric cables running above all fell down and started popping and lashing about.

"I felt very, very shook. We were at a safe distance from the shrapnel but... just to think I was on that bus 10-20 minutes ago and now it's just a fireball."

Two men came out of a nearby Post Office to aid the driver.

Ms Evans added: "The guy had his arm over his mouth and was spluttering and coughing. It was black smoke, it was fuel that was burning so they were extremely brave."

'Brave actions'

Wooden telegraph poles quickly went up in flames and "everything was burning and falling", she said.

"The cable fell and it was white sparks and explosions of electricity."

Arriva said its driver's "quick thinking" and "courageous actions" meant the passengers were evacuated with no injuries.

It added: "He even took the time to address the fire with a fire extinguisher, which we are told significantly helped to slow down the fire impact of escalating.

"We commend him for his bravery and fast reactions in this challenging situation."

Fire crews remained at the scene for more than three hours.

Ms Evans wanted to thank the local community who brought out water and chairs, and attended to the elderly passengers.

A concerned resident also drove herself and two other passengers home.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.