Updated | GWU concerned over burning buses, Arriva reassures all buses are 'safe'

General Workers Union (GWU) and Arriva representatives will be holding a meeting this afternoon to discuss the two separate incidents in which two bendy buses caught fire while on service.

A bendy bus was extensively damaged by fire on Sunday evening in Mellieha, while a few hours earlier another bendy bus burst into flames as it was being driven in Marsa.

Arriva reassured that all its buses were safe and additional checks were being carried out. On its part, the transport ministry confirmed that Transport Malta would carry out an independent inquiry which will be carried out in conjunction with the seperate magisterial inquiries.

The GWU said it called the meeting urgently to ensure that all public transport buses are safe for both drivers and passengers.

The union also urged the company to carry out thorough investigations and identify the cause of such incidents. It also called on Arriva to verify the conditions of its vehicles, especially the controversial bendy buses.

Transport section secretary Jeremy Camilleri will lead the union's delegation, which will also include bendy bus drivers.

The meeting followed transport minister Joe Mizzi's request to meet with Transport Malta's chairman and Arriva officials to discuss the incidents.

Mizzi asked Transport Malta to appoint a commission of technical experts to investigate the incidents.

In a statement the transport minister explained that Transport Malta would be preparing an independent report within one week.

The transport minister warned Arriva that he would "take any decision deemed necessary, however harsh they were," and expressed his grave concern over the incidents.

He also called on Arriva to take immediate action.   

Later in the afternoon, Arriva issued a statement in which the company said that first indications show the two seperate incidents are not related.

Arriva reassured the public that its buses are safe and that passenger safety remains a top priority for the company.

"While visually the situations were certainly striking, the well-being and safety of our passengers and employees were never put at risk," a spokesperson for Arriva said. 

The company underlined the fact that all buses undergo regular thorough checks and are also regulated by Transport Malta, stressing that both vehicles involved in this weekend's incidents, had regularly passed their annual VRT tests, with the most recent one in June.

Arriva added that it was carrying out an extraordinary fleet check on buses as an extra precaution to leave no stone unturned in ensuring vehicles were safe for passengers and drivers, and pointed out that was in contact with Transport Malta regarding the incidents.

"Arriva Malta is taking these incidents very seriously and is in full collaboration with the the Police who have launched a magisterial inquiry. At the time of writing investigators have not ruled out arson," the company said.