A teen’s reckless act on a bus, involving a lighter and carton, led to extensive damage and costly repairs in Bradford’s city centre.
The flames damaged the whole upper deck, and a nearby bus shelter’s roof melted. Repairs cost First Bus more than £128,000. The boy, now seventeen, had set a fire before, burning his house when he was thirteen. This fire started in his sister’s bedroom.
That house fire went out of control quickly, causing significant damage to the family home. They had to move while repairs were happening, and he called 999 after trying to stop the fire.
The bus fire occurred around 3 p.m. A college student sitting on the upper deck saw the whole thing, witnessing the boy playing with a lighter at the back of the bus. He had a Ribena carton and kept lighting the lighter on and off until the bus reached its final stop at Broadway.
The boy then tapped the student’s shoulder and offered him the burning Ribena carton, saying, “Do you want a present?” The student refused the flaming carton, telling the boy to keep it himself. The boy held the carton a bit longer, but the flame got close to his fingers.
He threw the burning carton at the back, and as the student got up to leave the bus, the boy called out, “It’s lit. On fire.” About twenty people were still on the bus at the time.
The fire then spread rapidly, and the upper deck of the bus sustained catastrophic damage. Police arrested the boy on November 25 at his Bradford home.
He didn’t answer questions during the interview but smiled and smirked. He later admitted to arson, acknowledging he knew lives could be at risk. The boy’s lawyer said he was young and didn’t expect such serious damage, adding he didn’t want to hurt anyone and was just messing around.
The boy had a tough childhood and felt isolated and lost, witnessing domestic issues growing up. Now, he feels ashamed and sorry, and his lawyer said he understands what he did.
A judge sentenced him to rehabilitation for eighteen months, stating his actions were dangerous and reckless. The judge said he needs help to avoid future fires and that playing with fire has serious effects.
He made bad, impulsive choices, and the judge wants him to learn proper decision-making. The judge also ordered a fire awareness program, lasting six months, and urged him to use this opportunity, warning it wasn’t a soft punishment.