New house bus up in flames

A Dunedin man could only stand and watch as the uninsured house bus he had owned for two hours went up in smoke on the trip home.

Don Saxton, 51, bought the 1963 Leyland Leopard off a seller in Wanaka at 2pm yesterday.

By 4pm, he was standing by the side of the Chatto Creek-Springvale Rd in Central Otago watching it burn to a shell.

He told the Southland Times he had smelt smoke coming from the rear of the bus and pulled over, but flames had quickly taken hold.

Local fire crews spent an hour dousing the blaze.

Mr Saxton paid $16,500 for the fully converted house bus and planned to live in it while he developed a coastal section.

The Port Otago cargo handler said he had sent the seller a text saying "Bus on fire. Written off. Call you later" and he was in need of a beer.

He had bought the vehicle "as is" and had not insured it.

- NZPA