SMRT bus bursts into flames in Woodlands, reduced to charred metal shell
An SMRT bus caught fire along Woodlands Avenue 1 on May 5, sending thick smoke and flames billowing from the vehicle.
Stompers Shaari, Zhuzhu and Aiman alerted Stomp to the incident and shared photos and videos showing the bus engulfed in flames before firefighters arrived to put out the blaze.
Other images show the aftermath, with the bus reduced to a charred metal shell.
Members of the public were alerted to the incident via the Land Transport Authority’s MyTransport.SG website at about 2pm.
The alert stated that bus services 901, 901M and 967 were diverted due to the fire near the bus stop outside Woodgrove Primary School.
Passengers evacuated
In response to Stomp’s queries, SMRT said the incident involved bus service 967 and occurred at about 1.30pm.
The bus captain had stopped at a bus stop along Woodlands Avenue 1 to allow passengers to alight and board when he noticed smoke coming from the driver’s compartment.
“As a precaution, he immediately guided all passengers to alight and move to a safe distance,” said Mr Vincent Gay, the deputy managing director of SMRT Buses.
A fire broke out shortly after at the front of the bus. The bus captain alerted the Bus Operations Control Centre, which activated the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
The bus captain also attempted to extinguish the fire from a safe distance.
“The bus captain was not hurt,” said Mr Gay. “We are investigating the cause of the incident and are supporting the well-being of the bus captain.”
The SCDF told Stomp it was alerted to the fire at about 1.40pm.
“SCDF extinguished the fire using a water jet and a hosereel,” an SCDF spokesperson said.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
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