A fire that ripped through a coach depot destroying four buses was probably started by an electrical fault, managers said this morning.

Scores of firefighters from Didcot, Abingdon, Wallingford, Wantage, Oxford,Woodstock and Kidlington battled to put out flames at Tappins Coaches in Southmead Industrial Park, Didcot, after a fire broke out about 5.45am yesterday and spread to the roof.

Graham Smith, Tappins managing director, said: “We don’t know the exact cause of the fire, but we think it was an electrical fault and the fire started in the building itself.

“No one was injured and it’s very much business as usual.

“Our computer was off the premises so we haven’t lost our booking system so that’s all in tact. It’s just the inconvenience. We haven’t lost any records. No trips were affected over the weekend.

“We are waiting for the assessors to come in so we can work out the insurance.”

Mr Smith said three Tappins coaches and one Heyfordian coach was destroyed in the blaze out of a fleet of 132.

He added: “Four out of action isn’t really an issue.”

Firefighters are still investigating the cause of the fire, but a spokesman for Oxfordshire fire and rescue service said it was not being treated as arson.