Bus fire in Guildford town centre

EMERGENCY crews were alerted when a bus burst into flames in Guildford town centre this morning.

The Arriva bus was in Woodbridge Road when a fire at the rear of the vehicle started at about 11.20am.

Thick black smoke was seen billowing from the bus as the fire took hold. No one was hurt and the bus was evacuated before police and firefighters arrived at the scene.

Witness Harry Smith described the moment he saw flames and fuel coming from the bus.

He said: "I heard a pop then someone beeping their horn so I went to the window to check what was happening.

"The fire was quite small at first but grew progressively bigger and loud pops went off sporadically. I also saw fuel leaking from the back of the bus.

"However, the fire brigade did arrive pretty quickly and soon had it under control."

Witness Caroline Brogan was at work when she spotted the flames.

She said: "There was lots of black smoke and the smell of burning rubber despite being inside at the time."

Firefighters were at the scene for 40 minutes and used two hose reel jets and a compressed air foam system to douse flames. 

A spokesman for Surrey Fire and Rescue said: "We received thirteen 999 calls to a report of a fire on a passenger bus on Woodbridge Road, Guildford.

"I believe it has been quite badly damaged because the bus was well alight when we arrived.

"At the time of the call my colleagues were asking 999 callers if there was anyone on the bus and I believe the bus had been evacuated. We don't believe there were many people on the bus anyway, fortunately.

"It pulled up outside the bus stop and that was when smoke was issuing. They evacuated the bus as that was occurring."

Police are not treating the fire as suspicious.