Back seat of bus catches fire in peak hour traffic

A bus ride home to the Wellington suburb of Karori was bought to an explosive halt this evening after the vehicle caught fire.

Nigel Howe was sitting on the backseat when he and fellow passengers saw smoke rising about 5.45pm. Passengers called out to driver Kostka White to stop and she pulled over.

Seconds later the whole back of the bus was engulfed in flames with windows bursting in the heat.

"It caught alight and the next thing you know the whole back of the bus is on fire. It was a bit scary. People were right up next to it looking but I kept back because you don't know what's going to happen. It could've blown," Mr Howe said.

Mr Howe said he caught the same number 3 bus home every evening.

"It was crazy really."

Mr White said he had tried to put out the fire.

"I tried to put it out with my little extinguisher and that was it." He had not had a similar experience in four years on the job.

About 15 passengers were on board the bus.

The fire service blocked off the street, Montgomery Ave, briefly while the fire was put out.

- NZPA