The number 294 Romford bus experienced an engine fire last Friday

Passengers onboard the number 294 double-decker bus in Romford last Friday had to make a swift exit after the vehicle’s engine caught fire, spreading to the rest of the bus.

As the blaze, which started at the engine at the rear of the bus, caught hold both the upper and lower decks were engulfed in flames. Everyone onboard, including the driver and approximately 30 passengers, manage to escape from the bus without injury.

Two fire crews were alerted and the road around the bus was closed for approximately an hour as the fire fighters fought to extinguish the blaze and clear the scene of debris. This caused congestion in the area as traffic built up.

A replacement bus was dispatched to collect the stranded passengers as quickly as possible.

The Romford bus was part of the East London Bus Group (ELBG). The operator has experienced 4 bus fires, including this one, however it is reported that there is no link between all of the incidents.

Dave Flower, who is a former employee of ELBG, heard about the bus fire from a friend who was a witness, he described what happened saying: “The driver pulled up about two metres short of the stop.” He added, “Someone tried to put it out with an extinguisher but it seemed to make it worse. It went up really quickly.”

A spokesman for the ELBG confirmed that a full investigation would be carried out to determine the cause of the fire, adding that the problem could “not be tied down to one fault.”