Passengers flee bus fire

A bus on a west London road was incinerated by flames moments after passengers ran for cover.

Several commuters were on board the no 328 bus when smoke started billowing out of the engine as it drove along Earl's Court Road towards Kensington High Street.

The driver stopped and the bus was evacuated. Less than a minute later the back of the vehicle was overtaken by flames, which spread along the road as fuel poured out of the engine towards a drain.

Telesales executive Ben Coggler, 20, who witnessed the incident, said: "The passengers were running out and in a matter of seconds it turned from smoking into an inferno. If anybody had been inside they would not have made it."

Fire crews put out the blaze at 7pm last night. The cause is being investigated.