WATCH: Man drives off with bus on fire in Bredell trying to save vehicles

In an attempt to save buses parked at Coach Company SA in Bredell, a mechanic drove off with a bus already on fire to avoid more buses catching fire on Thursday.

Eleven vehicles were destroyed in the fire.

According to Graham Harrison, a mechanic at Coach Company SA, he heard an explosion at a neighbouring company on Eighth Road and realised a container had caught fire. The fire quickly spread to the buses parked on his company’s grounds.

Coach Company SA is a private company that fixes and maintains buses belonging to other companies. It is based at an industrial park in Bredell.

“At about 3.30pm, I heard an explosion and saw fire coming from a container next door. We tried to help the guys there, but the gates were locked. As soon as I came back to our premises I noticed our buses had caught fire as well. The container was very close to the buses on our premises,” said Harrison.

“As soon as I saw more buses catching fire, I drove away a bus that was on fire at the back in an attempt to prevent the fire from spreading to other buses on site,” continued Harrison.

See more photographs  here

Workers from nearby companies tried to put out the fire until the fire brigade arrived. The police, CMS Security and Sec Pros Security arrived on the scene.

Kempton Express on Friday spoke to the owner of the company where the explosion occurred. He said he wanted to remain anonymous and said he did not know what caused the fire. He was awaiting forensic results.

According to William Ntladi, spokesperson for Ekurhuleni emergency services, they received a call at 16:21pm about a number of vehicles on fire.

Firefighting teams from Kempton Park, Farrarmere and Rynfield fire stations responded.   On arrival, they found nine buses, a truck and petrol tanker well alight.

He said the blaze was contained by shuttling water to the scene.  No casualties were recorded.

The cause of the fire is undetermined and under investigation, Ntladi said.