Dustcart bursts into flames
TWO dustmen had a lucky escape today, when their dustcart burst into flames just seconds after they had left it.Driver Adam Pottyondy, 38, and passenger Dennis Riches, both from Ipswich, counted themselves lucky to be alive after seeing huge flames burst through the windscreen, leaving glass strewn across the street.
TWO dustmen had a lucky escape today, when their dustcart burst into flames just seconds after they had left it.
Driver Adam Pottyondy, 38, and passenger Dennis Riches, both from Ipswich, counted themselves lucky to be alive after seeing huge flames burst through the windscreen, leaving glass strewn across the street.
An electrical fault is believed to be responsible for the blaze that totally destroyed interior of the cab outside Barclay's Bank in the Buttermarket, Ipswich, at around 6.15am.
Mr Riches, 40, said: "It was shocking, I couldn't believe how quickly the cab went up. The smoke was so thick we could hardly see each other when we were standing outside. If we had been in there we would have been killed.
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"We smelt burning rubber as we pulled into the Buttermarket and as Adam reversed down the road the engine cut out. We jumped out of the cab as smoke started pouring out of the dashboard. Then as I was calling the fire brigade the cab burst into flames.
"I don't think we'll see this truck back on the road."
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A fire crew put out the flames within minutes and the cart was waiting to be towed away.
Ipswich firefighters were also in action yesterday to free a man who became trapped underneath a truck in Ransomes Europark, off Bluestem Road.
Crews from Princes Street and Colchester Road were called at around 4pm.
The man, in his 40s, was unconscious when paramedics arrived but his injuries are not thought to be serious.
A landlady was today counting the cost after a fire hit a Suffolk pub.
Joanna Jeffryes, who runs the Ipswich Arms, in Tayfen Road, Bury St Edmunds, woke to find firefighters tackling a blaze in a 10m by 5m outbuilding of the pub. The crews had been at the scene for about two hours before Mrs Jeffryes realised what was happening.
Two fire engines from Bury St Edmunds went to the scene around 4.30am after the fire was reported by a passing off-duty fireman.
Several personal belongings, including items of furniture, were lost in the flames.
