Online Reporter
Amos Mpofu, Online Reporter
An Inter Africa bus was gutted by fire on Thursday afternoon in Bulawayo, with authorities suspecting an electrical fault as the cause of the blaze.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer, Mr Mhlangano Moyo, confirmed that the Fire Brigade was summoned to the scene at around 1.30PM after reports of a bus on fire along Basch Street and Sixth Avenue extension.
“The brigade was summoned to a bus on fire at Basch Street and Sixth Avenue extension. It was found well alight. The brigade used four high-pressure hose reels with breathing apparatus sets stage one,” said Mr Moyo.
He said the bus, which was travelling from Tsholotsho, had just dropped off passengers and was heading towards Kelvin workshops when it caught fire. No injuries were reported.
“The suspected cause of fire is electrical. It’s an Inter Africa bus,” he added.
The bus driver, who declined to be named, said he only became aware of the fire after members of the public alerted him that the vehicle was already burning.
“The driver, conductor and loader were the only occupants at the time and all escaped unharmed,” said a source familiar with the incident.
Although the fire caused extensive internal damage, reducing parts of the interior to ashes and causing fittings such as mirrors to fall off due to intense heat, the exterior of the bus remained largely intact. Remarkably, all tyres were left undamaged.
The Bulawayo Fire Brigade managed to bring the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading further.
Investigations into the exact cause of the fire are ongoing, though initial indications point to an electrical fault.
More details are expected as investigations continue.
