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Eastleigh bus fire: Homes evacuated after double-decker blaze

Jason Duff Bus fire in Southampton Road, EastleighJason Duff
The bus caught on fire at the junction of Derby Road and Southampton Road

A fire on a double-decker bus has resulted in nearby homes being evacuated and a road being closed.

Witnesses reported hearing "loud bangs" on Southampton Road in Eastleigh, Hampshire, at about 17:30 BST.

The driver was the only person on the bus, which was out of service, when the blaze began, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service said.

Dozens of residents were evacuated from their homes and the fire has caused damage to some nearby properties.

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The cause of the fire, which started close to a petrol station, is not yet known.

Resident Emma Blackburn told the BBC she was watching television in her living room when she heard a bang and saw the bus on fire.

"It was really frightening," she said. "At one point I thought the house was going to blow up because over the top of the house it just looked like the fire was getting bigger and bigger."

Another resident, Iain Pankhurst, said he heard "a whole load of banging" and evacuated his family from their house when he saw the flames.

He added that some of his house's windows had shattered in the blast.

Witness Jason Duff, who posted video and images of the fire on social media, said he was "just walking up the road" when he heard "lots of big bangs" by the petrol station.

Southampton Road, Eastleigh
Police and fire crews were called to the scene in Southampton Road at about 17:30
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