A bus fire in Coventry was caused by ‘mechanical malfunction’.
The cause of the bus fire that disrupted traffic on Keresley Road last week has been released by National Express.
The travel company issued the following statement: “The vehicle fire on Keresley Road on November 7 2017 was related to a mechanical malfunction in the bus engine bay.
“That bus had passed its latest 28-day inspection and its fire risk assessment was in date.
“We have briefed our Engineering teams and put additional steps into our inspection and monitoring procedures to prevent such an incident occurring again.”
This may not reassure many residents or officials who have called into question the safety of the buses and their busy routes.
The bus fire was the second serious incident in eight months.
The aggressive blaze on a double-decker bus was swiftly put out by West Midlands firefighters who were widely praised for their efficient response.
Coventry councillor Glenn Williams took to Twitter, saying: “No-one hurt thankfully and residents report that all emergency services and Council acted quickly.”
The next day he tweeted again: “Twice in 8 months the no. 16 has caused chaos on Keresley Rd.
“In March a house was destroyed by one. It’s through luck no-one was killed.”
There is some concern about the lack of action shown by National Express, considering the same number 16 bus has been involved in two incidents in the last year.
Many took to Facebook to express their views. One user said: “The old fleet of buses needs replacing with the newer ones like the 21 and 13s.
“The old ones used on 16 bus route are all accidents waiting to happen.
“Should be traveling on better buses for the amount you pay per month.”
In March’s incident the number 16 bus crashed into a house, injuring 4 people, in Keresley Road.
