BEIJING: At least a dozen tourist buses mysteriously caught fire today at a parking lot in eastern Beijing, officials said.
Beijing fire prevention bureau received a report in the afternoon that several buses were ablaze at a parking lot outside Xiedao Holiday Resort in Chaoyang district.
The bureau sent 12 teams of firemen and 50 fire engines to the scene. The flames were extinguished at 2:23 pm (local time) and no casualties were reported, the bureau said in a statement.
Xiedao, literally "crab island", is 10 kilometres from Beijing Capital International Airport.
The fire started with one bus and the flames soon spread to other buses.
Video clips and photos of the fire showing flames, dark smoke and sirens soon went viral on the web, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
"The scene was really scary... I hope no one was killed or injured," said Beijing salesman and eyewitness Liu Dong.
It is not clear yet whether it was a sabotage or an accident.