Passengers flee burning bus (From Oxford Mail)

Passengers flee burning bus

AN Oxford Bus Company bus caught fire shortly after 9am today on Headington Hill, Oxford.

Reader's picture by Stephanie Jenkins

A spokesman for Oxfordshire Fire Service said all the passengers managed to get off the single-decker immediately after the fire started and no one was injured.

Phil Ashworth, a spokesman for Oxford Bus Company, said a passenger alerted the driver that smoke was filling the back of the number 8 to Barton.

The driver then stopped the bus and told a small number of passengers to get off to wait for a replacement bus.

Mr Ashworth said: "The driver followed the emergency procedure to the letter and called the fire service, who arrived to damp down flames coming from the engine compartment.

"This is a very rare occurrence."