Wimbledon Hill: Electric London double-decker bus catches fire during rush hour

A bus caught fire in Wimbledon Hill on Tuesday (January 11), with videos showing firefighters tackling the blaze. The fire began at around 7.20am on Thursday (January 11) and the Met Police has advised people to avoid the area. Police at the scene said the area around the double-decker bus had been cleared as a precaution against the unlikely event of the fire reigniting.

A police spokesperson said: "Police were called at 7.23am on Thursday January 11 to reports of a bus on fire at Wimbledon Hill/Alwyne Road, SW19. Officers, London Fire Brigade (LFB) attended. At the scene a bus had caught fire. Road closures and cordons are in place. We expect them to remain for some time. There were no reported injuries. We thank the local community for their patience and cooperation as emergency services work at the scene."

An LFB spokesperson said: "Firefighters have been called to a fire involving a bus on Wimbledon Hill Road in Wimbledon. Part of a double-decker electric bus is alight. A 25-metre cordon has been put in place as a precaution and road closures are in place. There are currently no reports of any injuries.

"The Brigade was called at 7.21am. Three fire engines and around 15 firefighters from Wimbledon, New Malden and Wandsworth fire stations are at the scene."

Tom Cunnington, Transport for London's (TfL) head of buses business development, said: "Safety is our top priority and we are working with the operator, London General, and the bus manufacturer, Switch, to investigate what happened. The bus was quickly evacuated and there are no reported injuries."