Bus fire caused staff evacuation
Office workers had to flee their building in a Northampton street after the smoke of a coach on fire was so strong it set off internal fire alarms.
The Chron reported yesterday how the National Express coach caught fire in Bridge Street moments after the driver pulled over after smelling burning.
Onlookers described how fierce the blaze was but employees of Northamptonshire Probation Service, based in Walter Tull House, said yesterday late-working staff had to scramble from their desks and flee out of the back entrance as the blaze took hold.
Employee Jenny Dooley said: "Some of us were still at work and because people were still coming and going the smoke got into the offices and set off the alarms.
"When they realised where it was coming from they had to evacuate out of the exits at the back."
Police closed Bridge Street while three fire crews tackled the blaze and stopped it spreading to Walter Tull House. Firefighters told the Chron that the driver, who was on his way to Milton Keynes, had dropped off his passengers at a bus stop in town minutes before the fire started, which was at 5.45pm.
Passers by called 999 and East Midlands Ambulance Service sent out a fast response vehicle and an ambulance but nobody required hospital treatment.
The gutted vehicle was finally towed away and the road reopened at about 8pm.
Police scenes of crime officers were yesterday still working with fire officers and National Express to investigate the cause of the fire.
A spokesperson for National Express, said: "An incident occurred on one of vehicles as it returned to the depot yesterday evening.
"There were no passengers on board and the driver was not injured. Customer safety is always our priority and we have launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the fire."
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