Mystery fire hits garage
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A MYSTERY fire caused E600,000 damage at a Hove bus garage last weekend, wrecking 14 double-deckers.
Ten fire appliances from stations throughout West Sussex were called to the outbreak in the smaller half of Southdown's Conway Street premises at 3.15 am on Friday.
Night duty staff rescued some vehicles, but 14 buses — Leyland PD3 /4s, Daimler Sleetlines, and Bristol VRTs — were destroyed and seven others damaged.
The building, used only for double-deckers, also suffered structural damage.
A police spokesman said: "It doesn't look like arson," and forensic examination revealed no such evidence, but the cause is still being investigated.
Southdown has managed to maintain normal schedules by using the undamaged section of the garage and drafting in spare vehicles from other garages. There have not been any service cancellations and no call for help from other National Bus operators has been made. But, a company spokesman told CM, the fire has "left things too close for comfort."