‘Air tanks popping’ & tyres exploding in M40 coach fire

THE M40 has a lane blocked northbound for resurfacing works between junctions six and seven (Watlington to Thame), following a dramatic coach fire early this morning. The closure is expected to be ongoing for rest of today.

Photo by Oliver Jobson – Courtesy of bbc.c.uk

Crews from Thame, Wheatley and Stokenchurch, along with a water carrier from Wheatley were called just before 0600 to a report of a coach on fire on the M40 just north of Junction six. When firecrews arrived, the coach was completely on fire and fuel was flowing along the motorway.

“Initially fire crews worked to stop the fire spreading until the arrival of the water carrier when they were then able to use large volumes of water to put the coach fire out completely, ” reported Andy Ford from Thame Fire Station. “The motorway for closed for some time,” he added.

“With such an established fire, initially fire-fighters managed to contain the fire from spreading, including stopping flowing fuel that was on fire from entering the drains and setting alight to adjacent trees. There are lots of hazards we face with a coach fire, compressed air tanks were popping and tyres bursting, which makes it quite dangerous to get too close and why the whole motorway had to be closed for everyone’s safety. Once our water tanker arrived we could then completely dowse the fire.”