London bus fire: Passengers flee as flames tear through engine bay in Marylebone

Video from Twitter/@ArabGaucho

Passengers fled a burning bus on a busy London street as flames tore through the engine bay.

Video posted on social media showed the back of the bus on fire as traffic continued to drive past.

Firefighters said all passengers left the double decker before they arrived but one man needed treatment for smoke inhalation.

Investigators believe the fire was accidental but have recorded the cause as 'undetermined' due to the level of damage.

London Fire Brigade said it took 18 calls, and the blaze was under control around twenty minutes later.

It comes after a string of unrelated bus fires which were started deliberately since the start of the year.

Two of the incidents happened in Walthamstow within a day of each other and are thought to be linked.

The other two happened in east London and at this time are not being linked to each other, or the Walthamstow incidents.

There were no injuries.

'Reckless actions'

Detective Sergeant Cassandra Osborne from the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command said:

"We are appealing to the public for any information to help us apprehend whoever is responsible for these fires.

"These are extremely reckless actions which are putting the lives of innocent people at risk. All these buses were in service at the time of the fires and it is only by sheer luck that no one has been hurt.

"If you can help, please get in contact as soon as possible."

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