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UK: Sikhs travelling back from an annual Sikh camp on a coach had to rescued by the fires services as their coach caught fire.
Most of the Sikh were from Bedfordshire and were returning on Friday evening, from Luton Gurdwara.
66 people on board, mostly women and children were helped to safety seconds before the coach bust into flames.
A police investigation is under way. The driver pulled onto the hard shoulder of the M3 at Basingstoke, Hampshire, when smoke began billowing from the double-decker coach.
Luton-based coach company, Premier Travel, said it was carrying out an investigation with the Vehicle Inspectorate.
The group stayed on the hard shoulder, wrapped in foil blankets, until another coach was sent to collect them.
The Confederation of Passenger Transport UK released a statement on behalf of the coach company.
Spokesman Christopher Nice said: “The quick thinking and professionalism shown by our driver enabled all of the 66 passengers onboard to be promptly evacuated from the vehicle and led to a safe location.
“We praise our driver for not only safely and expertly evacuating the passengers from the coach, but also making sure that other road users were not placed at any risk.”
Around 25 firefighters from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service attended at 1930 BST and worked for an hour and a half to put out the fire.
I was on that coach, It was so scary!! The person who actually saved was an off-duty police man who stopped the coach and went on the coach hiimself to get everyone off safely.. he just got out in the knick of time, just before the coach full exploded.. the other thing was he got shouted racist comments from car passengers from the other side of the motorway.. saying stuff like go back in the coach and burn in hell, no one was injured but someone did faint… who still faces back problems from it now.. 2 years on. So praise the police driver, he saved 66 lives. He did get an award from’Pride of Britain’ 🙂 He was also much appreciated at Luton Gurdwara, his name was PC Collin Swan. Also Aman, what was your girlfriends name? Maybe i know her??
I know its bullshit. The whole bus company is bullshit and when I used to get onto that purple double decker bus it allways smelt of fumes and that toilet which they NEVER cleaned smelt to. To be honsest none of those people on premier take no notice of whats happing like you said aman. Also they cant even get there buses bloddy serviced propley. There buses always broke down and one of the yellow buses run out of PETROL. I didnt think they even cared about me to be honest. There where some girls in a 4 seater who are bullies and they shout and are aloud to take over those 4 seaters. They where So anoying and also the escort on there was on there side. Also they are aloud to throw stuff around and neither the bus driver or the escort would do anything about it!. On that service they have some really BAD and I mean BAD drivers. The people of that Bullshit premier are such tossers they wouldnt even care what happens to the bus like if it cathes on flames or runs out of fucking petrol. By the way what did the driver look like?
its all bullshit about the driver praise for safely and expertly evacuting the passengers from the coach.. the truth is this,that the stupid bus driver knows that the bus was faulty and wen passengers told him about the smoke comming from behind, he didnt took it seriously and continued driving… thanks to that guy who was comming behind the bus onn a car and noticed the fire and stoped the bus by pulling over his car in front of the bus and who then evacuated all the passengers on the board…… My girlfriend and her whole family was on the board, and who were the key witness of this happening…. so the driver should be charged and high level investigation is needed.
Aman Randhawa, Australia…
THANK LORD ALMIGHTY WHO HAS GIVEN A NEW LIFE TO 66 (SIXTY SIX )HIS KIDS A NEW LIFE.GOD BLESS GOOD HEALTH TO THE STAFF OF BUS WHO HAS SHOWN A GREAT COURAGE.HIGHER LEVEL INVESTIGATION OTHER THAN THE BUS COMPANY IS NEEDED TO WATCH ALL ASPECTS OF THIS HAPPENING IN WHICH 66 PEOPLE COULD BE BURNT ALIVE.