Fire destroys over 20 buses at Star Line Bus Company depot in Mabopane

A devastating fire broke out at the Star Line Bus Company depot in Mabopane, north of Pretoria, on Tuesday afternoon, leaving more than 20 buses burnt and reduced to ashes. 

The cause of the fire remains unknown and is currently under investigation by the police.

Lindsay Mnguni, spokesperson for the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department, said the fire was reported at around 12.16pm as a grassfire incident, but upon arrival, firefighters found that buses parked in the open yard were also ablaze. 

He said the fire spread quickly due to the proximity of the buses and windy conditions.

Mnguni said that firefighters from Mabopane, Rosslyn, and Wonderboom fire stations responded swiftly, deploying two foam tenders, two fire engines, an aerial ladder, and a district commander’s unit to bring the fire under control.

Despite the challenging conditions, firefighters managed to save 14 buses from the inferno.

“The windy conditions also exacerbated the fire spread, but the swift actions of the firefighters helped to successfully stop the fire from spreading and further damaging these 14 other buses, and they also extinguished the grassfire in the process, thus preventing it from causing further damage in the surrounding area,” Mnguni said.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident, which has left the bus company with significant losses, with 23 buses burnt, some of which were destroyed. 

Mnguni said the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

He further urged the public to report any fire or rescue incident by calling 107 toll-free or alternatively to call 012 358 6300/6400. 

“When reporting an emergency, please remain calm, speak clearly, know where you are to give the correct address, and give your correct contact number to allow the operator to phone you back should they require you to do so,” he said.

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za