Story perspectives

Second LNG Bus Ignites After Transit Crash on Saddletowne

By Drooid · Oct 16, 2026, 3:10 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Calgary Police Service reported three people died after a bus collision ignited a fire.
A transit bus struck a car on Saddletowne Circle N.E. just after 1 p.m. Thursday, starting the crash.
A second liquid-natural-gas bus ignited, sending flames up its roof.
Police Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward reported 19 injured, ten hospitalized.
Fire Chief Steve Dongworth sent a hazardous-materials unit because the bus used liquid natural gas.

History

Historical Context

In 2005, a London double-decker bus ignited on Oxford Street, killing two passengers and prompting a citywide safety review. Transport for London reported the blaze spread to 15 metres, while Mayor Ken Livingstone allocated £3 million for upgraded fire-suppression systems. Similarly, Calgary Police Service’s Thursday collision involved a liquid-natural-gas transit bus that erupted, injuring 19 and overwhelming fire chief Steve Dongworth’s hazardous-materials unit. The London incident spurred mandatory fire-extinguisher installations on all UK buses, a precedent that now pressures Canadian transit agencies to reassess LNG vehicle safety protocols.

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Story summary

Calgary Police Service reported three people died after a bus collision ignited a fire.
A transit bus struck a car on Saddletowne Circle N.E. just after 1 p.m. Thursday, starting the crash.
A second liquid-natural-gas bus ignited, sending flames up its roof.
Police Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward reported 19 injured, ten hospitalized.
Fire Chief Steve Dongworth sent a hazardous-materials unit because the bus used liquid natural gas.

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