A clean-up operation is under way to repair the road surface in Quendon after a Bishop’s Stortford bound bus exploded in flames on Tuesday afternoon (June 25).
The 301 A2B service caught fire moments after the driver and seven passengers evacuated. No-one was harmed.
The incident closed the B1383 Cambridge Road for several hours with one lane reopening later in the evening.
Teenager Joseph Manchett captured the moment the flames took hold.
Temporary traffic lights are now in operation along the route while Essex Highways begins resurfacing work.
The A2B single-decker was areplacement bus service after the previous operator, Central Connect, terminated its contract back in April.
The driver pulled over after noticing smoke coming from the engine and the vehicle quickly erupted into flames, sending thick plumes of black smoke high into the air as residents from nearby houses rushed out to watch. As the fire took hold there was a huge explosion.
Onlookers included 11-year-old villager William McIntyre who sent his photos of the drama unfolding to the Indie.
Police closed the road as firefighters tackled the blaze with traffic diverted through Rickling Green.
Essex county councillor Ray Gooding, whose division includes Quendon and Rickling, said the bus service should be unaffected going forwards. “There should be sufficient capacity for that service to be maintained. Obviously, there is a bit of clearing up to do today (Wednesday).”
A spokesperson for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said they received a call at 4.09pm on Tuesday.
"Firefighters from Newport and Stansted were called to a bus fire on Cambridge Road, Quendon, at 4:09pm.
"Eight people, the driver and seven passengers, had safely evacuated the bus before calling us when noticing smoke coming from the engine.
"Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire. The cause was accidental.”
