This is the dramatic moment a bus was engulfed in flames near Chelmsford this morning.
A driver pulled over to take this photograph of a single-decker First bus as it stood in a lay-by on the A130 in Rettendon just before the Turnpike turn-off.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service were called just after 9.20am and sent four crews - two from Chelmsford and two from
Rayleigh Weir.
The road was closed before firefighters using breathing apparatus worked to extinguish the blaze which was put out by 10am.
A spokesman for First Bus said there were no passengers on the bus and that the exact cause of the fire is currently unknown.
She said: “We are aware of an incident involving bus number 60865 on the A130.
“This bus was not in service and on its way back to the depot when the engine cut out. The driver pulled the bus to the side of the road and realised the engine had caught fire. The driver immediately notified the fire service.
“We are investigating this incident to understand the cause of this fire.”
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