A bus has caught on fire and exploded on Warwick campus

A number 12X bus on its way to Warwick campus has caught on fire early this morning.

Students and general public were on the bus while it was on fire, before it pulled over. We spoke to Warwick University students who were on the "full" National Express 12X bus.

Students claimed to have heard a loud bang coming from the direction of the Piazza at 9:13am.

Three fire engines and a helicopter have been spotted on Warwick campus to deal with the blazing bus.

There have now been reports of the bus exploding:

Eye witness accounts of the incident

According to witnesses on the scene, students and the general public were quick to stay away from the flames, as the bus was on the approach to campus.

Samuel Clarke, a first year who is living in Rootes, claimed to have heard the "big bang" and then saw the flames, as the bus "blew up" just outside Old Rootes.

Simron Kandola, who Tweeted about the immediate fire, told The Warwick Tab:

"I was 10 cars behind the bus when I saw white smoke pouring out of the side on the way into campus. It then suddenly stopped and black smoke then started to pour out of the exhaust area.

There was a small fire then at the time. The students on the bus were all quickly evacuated and with 30 seconds the entire back of the bus was in flames."

A second year student, Oonagh, who was stuck in the traffic, was told to get off the bus and walk to campus, because of "an explosion" near campus.

Image credit – Elsa Joel

An update from the MyWarwick app informed students that freshers living in Blocks A-H would be evacuated from their residence.

One eye witness, Jai, a Warwick third year, told The Warwick Tab that "It’s completely destroyed, half the bus has disappeared in the flames."

All other buses have been diverted to drop students off at Bluebell car park, as the main route to campus has been sectioned off.

National Express gave a statement to The Warwick Tab:

"There was a fire on a National Express Coventry double decker bus this morning at Gibbet Hill interchange.

"All our passengers were safely taken off the bus. West Midlands Fire Service and West Midlands Ambulance Service came to the scene and we are very grateful for their help. We will be carrying out a full investigation into what happened.

"National Express Coventry 11 and 12X bus services are being diverted at the moment. We apologise to out customers for the inconvenience caused by this incident."

The Warwick Tab will update with more information as it comes through.

Featured image credit – Stefano Dunne, The Boar / Christopher Thompson

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