Israel Fire Chief Shachar Ayalon is threatening to shut Egged down if the bus company does not install fire detectors and extinguishers on its 3,000 buses, explaining there have been too many bus fires and action to prevent “the next disaster” must be taken. Ayalon focuses on Egged, since it is the nation’s largest bus company.

Ayalon explains that since January 1, 2012, some 14 months, 125 buses from a number of companies burned. He explains that just last week an Egged bus on Highway 1 burned due to a motor malfunction. In that fire the passengers managed to get out in time Baruch Hashem he explains, warning we are pushing our luck by operating buses without fire detection and extinguishing equipment and he is putting his foot down. Ayalon says that earlier this week, another bus, not from Egged, burned in Beersheva. On Shushan Purim, an Egged bus burned in Beit Shemesh.

Ayalon warns at time there are elderly passengers or others who may not be capable of running off a bus and fire extinguishers must be installed on all buses. “If we wait until after the disaster, they will all question ‘where were the fire experts’ so I am announcing that if Egged does not install fire detectors and fire extinguishers on its buses, I will shut the company down.”

The fire chief explains that his office has already approached Egged but a response has not been issued to date. He is giving Egged thirty days to being acting and if the company does not comply, then he will begin actions to shut the company down.

Experts in the fire department explain the system that is being demanded can cost up to 10,000 NIS per bus, explaining that it may sound expensive but in comparison to the cost of a bus, it is actually a negligible sum.

Egged spokesman Ron Ratner explained “Egged is studying the fire chief’s request and it will act on the important matter in line with the regulations defined under the law and as per the Ministry of Transportation.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)