Rede Expressos bus carrying 30 passengers catches fire on A8 motorway near Lisbon; all escape, one treated for smoke inhalation
A Rede Expressos coach caught fire on Sunday afternoon on Portugal's A8 motorway near Lousa, Loures. All 30 occupants had already exited the vehicle when firefighters arrived, authorities said; one person received on-site treatment for smoke inhalation.
What happened
On Sunday, 28 June, at around 16:08 local time, a Rede Expressos long-distance coach caught fire while travelling southbound on the A8 motorway near Lousa in the municipality of Loures, district of Lisbon. The vehicle was at kilometre 14 when the fire broke out, according to the Sub-Regional Command for Emergency and Civil Protection (CSREPC) of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area.
All approximately 30 passengers and the driver were able to evacuate the bus on their own before emergency services arrived, multiple sources reported. By the time firefighters reached the scene, the coach was already fully engulfed in flames. One individual suffered mild smoke inhalation and received medical assistance at the site; no hospitalisation was required.
- Emergency services receive alert; all passengers have already evacuated the burning coach.
- Bus fire extinguished, according to CSREPC source.
- Brush fire in mop-up stage; one lane reopened after vehicle removal.
The bus was completely destroyed. Rede Expressos, the operator, stated that all luggage had been removed before the fire consumed the vehicle. Passengers were subsequently transferred to other coaches to continue their journeys.
Emergency response and traffic impact
The alert prompted a response from multiple fire services, including the Bombeiros Voluntários da Malveira and Bombeiros Voluntários de Loures, as well as the GNR traffic police, the highway concessionaire Autoestradas do Atlântico, and the national medical emergency service (INEM). Around two dozen firefighters and at least eight vehicles were deployed, according to various sources.
The fire also spread to a nearby area of brush, prompting the activation of an aerial firefighting asset. Both the vehicle fire and the rural fire were later extinguished, with the latter entering the mop‑up phase around 17:40.
The incident forced a complete closure of the A8 in the north–south direction, creating a long tailback as observed by reporters on the scene. Traffic was diverted onto the N8 and N374 national roads. By late afternoon, one lane remained cut but two lanes were open to vehicles, while removal operations continued.
What is still unknown
As of Sunday evening, the cause of the fire had not been determined. No further injuries or missing persons were reported.
