Dramatic swan rescue after FLAMING bus pours oil into river
A FLOCK of swans had to be rescued after oil from a bus fire poured into a river.
The tar-like mixture of oil and diesel covered the birds, who were carried away in protective bags to be treated at a sanctuary.
The spill came after a double-decker bus went up in flames in Kingston, south west London on Friday.
A stream of dirty diesel flowed down the street and into Hogsmill River, which is home to a large flock of swans.
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Passerby Cristina Spinks said she saw the dishevelled birds being pulled from the river.
She said: “The swans were very black but not dead. They carried away eight but there were 20 still waiting.
“They were still white but the black was still on their feathers. People were saying it's from the diesel.”
The birds were taken to the Swan Sanctuary in Shepperton, Surrey.
Gemma Nelson, at the Swan Sanctuary, said: “In total we rescued about 16 birds with the help of passersby, including a family on holiday from New York and a sandwich shop owner who shut up shop just to help.
They are all doing fine
“They are all doing fine, some will need a little help getting the worst of it off but all are looking much cleaner now.
“We are not in a rush to put them back to ensure the water is clear of all contaminates, but they are looking at another week or so with us.”
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Firefighters worked hard to bring the fire under control quickly.
“As a result of the fire, diesel spilt into the roadway and firefighters used sand and drain mats to try and prevent diesel spilling into the drains.
“The duty of care was left with the Metropolitan Police Service.”
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “Diesel from the bus entered the Hogsmill River near where it joins with the River Thames.
“Our officers worked with other professional partners to establish what effect the pollution may have had on the local water environment and assisted in mitigating any impact.
“We alerted Thames Water Utilities of the presence of diesel oil in their surface water drainage system and they arranged for the sewer to be cleaned of any residual oil.
“A number of swans were removed to safety by members of the Swan Sanctuary. No further reports of oil on the watercourses has been received since the incident.”
