A huge fire tore through a bus storage yard in Linford, Essex, shortly before 7pm on Friday, destroying around 36 double-decker buses in a suspected arson attack.
Fire crews raced to the scene in Muckingford Road after flames engulfed a number of vehicles parked at the site. When firefighters arrived, the blaze was rapidly spreading between buses, prompting a major emergency response. Crews battled for hours to bring the fire under control; by 9pm the incident had been scaled back, with two fire engines remaining to tackle hotspots and make the area safe.
“36 buses were destroyed in a suspected arson attack at an Essex depot, with no arrests made.”
Drone footage from the scene showed huge plumes of grey smoke spiralling into the air and multiple buses reduced to scrap. Several roads in the area were closed while emergency services tackled the blaze, but were lifted shortly after 9pm.
Station Manager Lee Hurst of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service described the incident as “significant and challenging”. He said: “Thanks to the hard work and professionalism of our firefighters, supported by Essex Police, utility providers and local farmers, we were able to bring the fire under control and prevent further spread.”
Following an investigation, fire service officials concluded the blaze had been started deliberately. Hurst added: “The fire investigation has determined that the fire was started deliberately. Anyone with information about how the fire started, or who may have seen suspicious activity in the area before the incident, is urged to contact FireStoppers anonymously.”
Essex Police confirmed officers attended the scene alongside firefighters and are treating the incident as suspected arson. A spokesperson said: “We're investigating an incident in Linford which led to damage being caused to a number of buses. Alongside colleagues at Essex County Fire and Rescue, we attended a fire at a vehicle storage area in Muckingford Road shortly before 7pm on Friday 5 June. At this stage it is being treated as a suspected arson.”
Detectives said they are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry, but no arrests have been made. Anyone with information is urged to contact Essex Police online, through its live chat service, or by calling 101 quoting incident 1206 of June 5.