Fire breaks out on bus in Dubai

from Alex Lewis Dubai
 
Dubai, Sep 18: A bus picking up passengers in a congested part of Bur Dubai was evacuated after the engine caught fire.

The number of passengers on board the Route 16 bus when the fires started is reported to have been about 50.

No one was injured in the blaze, which happened at about 1.45pm at a bus stop outside Citibank, on Khalid Bin Waleed Street, commonly known as Bank Street, yesterday.

Civil Defence officers, who put out the fire within minutes, launched an immediate investigation. It is believed an overheated engine triggered the fire.

David Broomfield, who was walking past the bus stop at the time of the fire, said: “It all happened very quickly, there was smoke everywhere. It was very busy with people leaving work because of Ramadan working hours.

"People waiting to catch the bus rushed away from the fire. Firemen came pretty quickly to put it out before it could spread and injure anyone,” he said.

A spokesman for the Roads and Transport Authority, which operated the bus, said: "We are launching an investigation and will know the cause of the fire soon. No one was injured and the fire was brought under control quickly.”