A Rede Expressos coach carrying approximately 30 passengers caught fire on the A8 motorway near Loures today, forcing a dramatic evacuation and triggering a multi-agency emergency response. All occupants escaped before the vehicle was consumed by flames, though one person suffered minor smoke inhalation injuries and received on-site medical treatment.
Incident Details and Emergency Response
The fire was reported at approximately 4:08 PM on the northbound A8 near Lousa, kilometer 14. The Portugal Emergency Medical Service (INEM) dispatched crews following the alert, treating the smoke inhalation victim at the scene without requiring hospital transport.
The Loures Volunteer Firefighters led the emergency response alongside personnel from multiple fire brigades, deploying 10 vehicles and 25 operational staff to tackle the coach fire. Flames spread from the burning coach to adjacent scrubland, requiring aerial water-bombing operations before firefighters brought both blazes under control by approximately 5:40 PM.
Traffic Impact
The northbound A8 (Torres Vedras-Loures direction) remains partially blocked at kilometer 14 near Lousa, with one lane closed and motorists diverted through two remaining lanes. The Atlantic Motorways Traffic Brigade managed traffic flow and cordoned off the affected section of highway while cleanup and recovery operations continued into the evening.
Passenger and Recovery Details
By the time firefighters declared the situation under control, the coach had been completely destroyed. Rede Expressos confirmed that passengers were transferred to replacement vehicles and that all luggage was successfully recovered from the burning coach.
Investigation
The Greater Lisbon Sub-Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command confirmed the cause of the fire remains under investigation, with Rede Expressos working alongside the vehicle's owner to determine what triggered the blaze. Safety officials have prioritized determining the fire's origin as the next step in understanding the incident.
