Southend Short Street Arriva Bus Catches Fire in Dramatic Incident
A bus in Southend caught fire last night, causing a scene but thankfully no injuries
Southend, Bus Fire, Arriva, Essex, Accidental Fire
Southend: Last night, a single-decker Arriva bus went up in flames on Short Street. Luckily, it was out of service and had no passengers on board.
The fire broke out around 7:53 PM, and firefighters were on the scene quickly. They managed to put out the fire by 8:36 PM, and it was determined to be accidental.
Local resident Carly Bristow saw the smoke while walking home. She described how the air was thick with smoke and the fire had a strange smell. A man nearby was curious about the fire too.
Carly recalled hearing popping sounds before a loud bang startled everyone. Flames were soon visible at the back of the bus. She mentioned seeing a fireman assuring people that the bus driver was safe.
Then, there was another explosion, and flames shot from the roof, creating thick clouds of black smoke. It was intense, but thankfully, no one was hurt.
An Essex Fire and Rescue spokesman confirmed they received reports of the fire and arrived to find the bus fully engulfed. They worked quickly to extinguish it.
Arriva South also commented, stating that since the bus was not in service, there were no passengers. They are currently investigating the incident.