A Greyhound bus carrying 25 passengers went up in flames after the engine allegedly exploded while the bus was moving in Vereeniging on Thursday morning.
The luxurious coach was on its way to Durban from Johannesburg when the incident happened.
According to Nompilo Gwala, 25, who was on the bus when the explosion happened, she originally booked a Cityliner bus ticket for 09:30. However, when she arrived at Park Station in Johannesburg, she was informed that she would be taking the Greyhound bus, which arrived at 11:30.
“The Greyhound representatives informed us that the bus was late because it had undergone a service inspection,” Gwala told SA Trucker.
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“We had just picked up some passengers in Vereeniging when we heard a loud bang. The bus came to a complete stop, and the driver immediately started shouting that we should get out of the bus and leave all our belongings,” she added.
Gwala said when all the passengers had disembarked the coach, they realised that the back of the bus, close to where the engine is located, was on fire.
She alleged that before the fire could spread due to strong winds, the bus driver tried to retrieve their luggage from the bus.
“The bus driver risked his life, ensuring that we had our luggage because the fire was spreading very quickly.”
A tanker truck that was passing by tried to assist but the water was not enough for the growing fire.
Gwala added that the police and emergency services arrived a little while later to put out the fire.
“After putting out the fire, they all left, leaving us stranded on the side of the road until a Greyhound representative arrived, ensuring us that another bus was on its way.”
According to the bus company, all their vehicles are maintained to the highest safety standards, in line with manufacturer guidelines and serviced on time.
“Vehicles undergo pre- and post-trip inspection prior to every trip, there is a claim that there was an explosion in the engine compartment however, investigations are underway as to the exact cause.
“At this point, the company would like to apologise to passengers on board for the inconvenience as a result of the incident. However, we have to allow for the investigations to conclude as to what the actual cause of the incident was. For further information, passengers can contact our call centre for assistance,” Greyhound added. Watch the video here
