Two Southend coach companies face massive repair bills after a blaze ripped through their fleets.
Burnt out - Rod Hallums surveys the damage after a fire ripped through his bus yard Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL
Ronda Coaches and St Cloud's Coaches are today counting the cost after both lost a vehicle in the fire which is believed to have been started by an electrical fault.
Saturday's blaze destroyed a Ronda Coaches 19-seater Mercedes coach before spreading to a double-decker bus and mini-bus belonging to St Cloud's Coaches in Purdey's Way Industrial Estate, Roach Hall Way, Rochford.
Today, Ronda owner Rod Hallums had to juggle his remaining fleet so he could transport people to and from the Maybrook Centre for adults with learning difficulties in Southchurch Road.
He said: "It is very upsetting for us because that was a special, extra narrow bus that enabled us to pick up people in narrow back roads.
"That bus never let us down so money doesn't really come into it but I think it was worth about £4,000.
"The only thing we can save from it are the hub caps. The rest is totally destroyed."
Kevin Stevens, 43, owner of St Cloud's Coaches, said: "We were lucky that someone was working on their boat in the Wakering Yacht Club next door. He called the fire brigade which got here in time to stop the whole fleet from being destroyed.
Published Monday January 5, 2004
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