Ministry temporarily suspends 11 Paphos buses after sixth fire

The Ministry of Transport on Thursday decided to immediately remove from service 11 buses of one type, belonging to the Paphos Transport Organization (OSYPA), following a new fire that occurred early Wednesday morning near the Tombs of the Kings in Paphos, Cyprus.

All buses of the specified model, each with a capacity of 90 passengers and serving around 1,000 residents of the Paphos district daily, were suspended. The ministry explained that the measure is temporary and aimed at ensuring safety, although it may cause service disruptions.

The fire in the bus, which was not carrying passengers and was parked after the end of its shift, was recorded at 00:49; firefighters extinguished it by 01:08. The rear of the vehicle sustained significant damage. According to a preliminary assessment by the Mechanical and Electrical Maintenance Service, an electrical defect may have caused the fire.

Reports indicate that this is the sixth fire involving this bus model in the last three years, including two cases in the past two months and one in November 2023. At a ministry meeting, potential maintenance issues were mentioned rather than a design flaw.

An international expert who had previously conducted inspections at the end of October is expected to return to Cyprus over the weekend to re-examine the buses in Paphos and similar vehicles acquired by a contractor for the Famagusta Free Zone. Responsibility will be determined based on findings — the manufacturer in case of a design defect or the contractor if insufficient maintenance is confirmed.

The ministry emphasized that “citizen safety is non-negotiable.” Suspended buses will return to service only after their full fitness is confirmed; additional measures to tighten control over passenger transport maintenance are also under consideration.