Hale village was brought to a standstill this morning when a bus was engulfed in flames close on Ashley Road.
Local residents, businesses and commuters watched in astonishment as flames started emerging from the dashboard of the blue bus at around 8.30am this morning.
Within minutes the entire bus – which was sat at the lay-by close to Hale bowling green – was ablaze, sending plumes of thick black smoke into the sky.
Emergency services were quickly at the scene and the fire was put out, and Greater Manchester Police have now confirmed that no passengers or anyone else were injured during the incident.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “At around 8:30am this morning (Thursday 5 December 2023), officers were called to reports of a bus on fire on Ashley Road in Hale.
“Emergency services attended the scene. All passengers left the vehicle safely and no injuries were reported.
“A road closure remains in place while further enquiries take place and the area is made safe.”
The bus is still in the Ashley Road lay-by, with pictures showing it to be largely gutted by the flames.
We’ve contacted the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service for more information about what happened.
The centre of the village remains closed to traffic.
