Private bus catches fire & causes congestion along BKE, 2nd vehicle fire in 1 day

No injuries reported after private bus catches fire along BKE

A private bus caught fire along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) on Thursday (6 March), in what was the second vehicle fire that day.

Video clips circulated across social media, including on Facebook, showed the bus alight in the middle of the expressway.

Fire appears to start from back of bus on BKE

Earlier, a clip uploaded on TikTok, ostensibly taken before the arrival of firefighters, showed flames licking out from the back of the bus.

Several passengers were evacuating calmly from the bus as smoke started filling the air.

Later, a TikTok video taken at 6.17pm on Thursday (6 March) showed EMAS Recovery closing off the centre lane with traffic cones.

The fire appeared larger now, with part of the road also burning.

Firefighters seen spraying water as bus is consumed by flames

After the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived, firefighters were seen spraying water onto the burning bus.

At this point, flames had consumed the whole bus, spreading to its interior as well.

Later, the charred bus stood smoking after the fire was put out.

The vehicle appeared to be almost entirely burnt, with its windows shattered due to the blaze, leaving glass shards all over the road.

Accident causes congestion, LTA advises motorists to avoid 4 lanes

The Land Transport Authority’s (LTA’s) traffic news account on X first posted about the incident at 6.18pm.

It said it had taken place on the BKE in the direction towards the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) after the Mandai Road exit, and advised motorists to avoid lanes 2 and 3.

Seconds later, LTA posted again, urging motorists to avoid lanes, 2, 3 and 4.

Then at 6.26pm, it said the accident had caused congestion till the Mandai Road exit.

Minutes later, motorists were advised to avoid a total of four lanes — 2, 3, 4 and 5.

A few more minutes later, another lane was affected, with LTA advising motorists to avoid lanes 1, 2, 3 and 4.

By 6.37pm, the congestion had spread to the Seletar Expressway exit.

Motorists shared photos of the jam, with traffic appearing to be at a standstill.

12 people self-evacuated before SCDF arrived

In response to queries from MS News, SCDF said it was alerted to a vehicle fire at about 6.15pm on 6 March.

It took place along the BKE towards the PIE, before the Kranji Expressway (KJE) exit, and involved a single-deck passenger bus.

12 people — the bus driver and 11 passengers — had evacuated the bus before SCDF’s arrival, it added.

The fire was extinguished with three water jets, and no injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Second fire on the same day

The bus fire was the second reported fire on Thursday.

Earlier that day, a car caught along Tampines Street 31 at 7.20am, blocking off half the road.

There were no reports of injuries from the incident.

Also read: 2 cars engulfed by fire after multi-vehicle accident on PIE, no injuries reported

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Featured image adapted from Farizatul Firdaus on Facebook and Dominicka Portet on Facebook.