Police are to conduct their own inquiries into a blaze at Haddenham after it was described by Cambridgeshire fire officers as “accidental”. The fire broke out last night just before 6.30pm at Young’s Coaches at Lode Way, Haddenham, and destroyed at least one bus and an artic trailer.
The owner, Edward Young, shared his concerns about the cause of the fire to social media.
Now Cambridgeshire police are to visit the site today.
A police spokesperson said: ““Officers were called by the fire service at 6.24pm yesterday to reports of a bus fire at the bus depot on Lode Way, Haddenham. There was no requirement for police attendance at that time.
“The Ely Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) are aware of the incident and plans are in place to visit the site today.
“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone who saw anything in the area at the time is urged to contact police online or call 101, quoting incident 439 of 1 August.”
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue had earlier issued a statement which said that “at 6.05pm on Thursday (1) crews from Cottenham, Ely, Chatteris, Soham and Newmarket (Suffolk) were called to a bus fire on Lode Way in Haddenham.
“Firefighters arrived to find a bus fire which had spread to a second bus and trailer. Crews used hose reels and jets to extinguish the fire and returned to their stations by 9.30pm.
“The cause of the fire was accidental.”
Mr Young – who has been contacted by CambsNews but has not yet returned our call – has been vocal on social media about the fire.
He has posted video – widely shared now across Facebook groups – of two youngsters who he says walked past his depot at 5.01pm “and never came back.
“We believe they jumped the ditch you can see grass trodden down the back of our poplar trees by Chamber’s land”.
He claims one of the youths “is seen pulling something out of his trousers looking suspicious… then by 17:25 a caravan door has been opened down the back field then by approximately 18:00 a coach was fully on fire nearby.
“I risked my life trying to put it out so it didn’t spread further but I couldn’t hold it back.
“Then another bus caught alight then an artic trailer full of personal possessions.
“We are absolutely devastated. We’ve been here for 35 years and never experienced anything like this. Ended up with 6 fire engines to tackle the blaze and we almost lost everything we have down here if they didn’t thankfully turn up so fast.”
He added: “I can’t thank neighbours and friends enough for all their kindness and help at a frightening time.”
