A bus was engulfed in flames after catching fire on a major route in and out of Norwich.

Eastern Daily Press: A Sanders Coaches double-decker bus ablaze on Cromer Road in Norwich after an engine fire. Picture: Lee Blanchflower / Blanc CreativeA Sanders Coaches double-decker bus ablaze on Cromer Road in Norwich after an engine fire. Picture: Lee Blanchflower / Blanc Creative (Image: Lee Blanchflower - Blanc Creative 2020)

Fire crews were called to Cromer Road in Hellesdon at 8.13am on Tuesday to put out the blaze on a Sanders double decker at the bus stop next to the Applegreen filling station.

Passer-by Lee Blanchflower was heading to the shops when he spotted the fire, and said he was shocked by how quickly it spread.

He said: “The bus was at the bus stop. I think it stopped to let some people off and one of the passengers informed the driver.

“It was so small – there was a small fire at the back of the bus, which had dropped onto the floor. The ground was on fire as well.

Eastern Daily Press: A Sanders bus caught fire on Cromer Road. Picture: Lee BlanchflowerA Sanders bus caught fire on Cromer Road. Picture: Lee Blanchflower (Image: Archant)

“Within 90 seconds, the whole back of the bus was alight. It was engulfed in flames.”

Fire crews from Sprowston and Earlham wore breathing apparatus and used main and hose reel jets to put out the fire.

Sanders Coaches general manager Richard Pengelly said the driver and three passengers were on board at the time, and no-one was injured in the incident.

He said: “We’ve sent an engineer out to assess and we think it’s just an engine component that caught fire. The main shell of the bus itself is intact.

Eastern Daily Press: A Sanders Coaches double-decker bus ablaze on Cromer Road in Norwich after an engine fire. Picture: Lee Blanchflower / Blanc CreativeA Sanders Coaches double-decker bus ablaze on Cromer Road in Norwich after an engine fire. Picture: Lee Blanchflower / Blanc Creative (Image: Lee Blanchflower - Blanc Creative 2020)

“It’s all conjecture at the moment, but hopefully the bus will be back in service.”