At least 14 buses destroyed in fire at Utrecht bus depot; Public transport disrupted
A massive fire broke out at the Westhaven bus depot on Griffioenlaan in Utrecht on Friday morning. The blaze destroyed at least 14 buses, seriously disrupting bus traffic in the city.
The fire broke out at around 4:50 a.m. on Friday. Firefighters had it under control by around 7:20 a.m., the local safety office, Veiligheidsregio Utrecht, reported on Twitter. Fourteen to fifteen buses were damaged beyond use, it said.
“When we arrived early this morning, two buses were on fire,” Liselotte Mackoet of the Veiligheidsregio said to RTV Utrecht. The fire brigade responded with multiple vehicles and fought with all its might to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.
Due to the fire, only limited bus traffic is possible on Friday, Utrecht public transport company U-OV said to RTV Utrecht. “Bus lines that drive from Westraven are not running. Buses do run from the other locations. Check the current travel information on our website.”
The fire was on an industrial estate, so the consequences for locals seemed to be limited. “For the time being, the smoke seems to be heading towards the A12, not towards a residential area. Our advice is, if you live in the area, close your windows and doors because smoke is never healthy,” Mackoet said.
The bus depot opened in 2021. The cause of the fire is not yet known.