Maurice Wrightson, 63, from Ashington, Northumberland, had been descending the precarious D211 road from French ski resort Alpe d’Huez with a coach full of British resort staff on April 16 2013
A heroic bus driver died in a ‘complete inferno’ after deciding to drive straight into boulders on a narrow mountain road to save all his passengers, an inquest heard.
Maurice Wrightson, 63, from Ashington, Northumberland, had been descending the precarious D211 road from French ski resort Alpe d’Huez with a coach full of British resort staff on April 16 2013.
As he approached the 21st hairpin bend, he became aware that the brakes had failed and decided to smash into the mountainside rather than attempt the corner, killing himself but saving everybody else.
Flames quickly engulfed the coach, with passengers desperately trying to escape through the broken windows and one woman being set on fire.
French investigators concluded Mr Wrightson had ‘undoubtedly prevented’ the more serious consequences of the vehicle leaving the road.
The coroners court in Berwick heard from his co-driver Nathan Woodland, 39, who also worked for County Durham-based Classic Coaches.
Describing Mr Wrightson as ‘old school and a very good driver’, Mr Woodland said his colleague had not been fazed by the steep, winding road and had been in no rush.
But after going through a small chicane, he said he felt the bus twitch and quickly became aware something was wrong.
As Mr Wrightson approached the 21st hairpin bend, he became aware that the brakes had failed and decided to smash the coach into the mountainside rather than attempt the corner
Flames quickly engulfed the coach, with passengers desperately trying to escape through the broken windows and one woman being set on fire
He said: ‘I could see the road all the way down to turn 21, the distance was about half a mile.
‘The gradient was not that steep compared to other bits, but suddenly Maurice looked at me with a very shocked look on his face.
‘He said, ‘It’s not stopping us, it’s not stopping us’. I could tell immediately something was very wrong.’
He said Mr Wrightson began to grip the wheel very tightly and braced himself against his seat to apply more pressure to the brake.
French investigators concluded Mr Wrightson had ‘undoubtedly prevented’ the more serious consequences of the vehicle leaving the road. Pictured: The burnt-out coach at the scene
‘The coach was not gaining speed, but it was not decelerating, the brakes were not stopping us,’ he said.
‘I stepped into the aisle and shouted, ‘Grab a hold, hold tight’.’
He then described how the coach smashed into the boulders and he was thrown a number of rows back.
As he picked himself up he saw people desperately trying to escape and flames begin to engulf the coach, which quickly turned into a ‘complete inferno’.
‘There was a girl who had been sat behind the driver’s seat, her clothes were on fire. A man was trying to get her off the coach and dowse the fire on her clothes at the same time,’ he said.
Emergency services arrived around 25 minutes after the crash, with four passengers being seriously injured
Speaking at the time, French transport minister Frederic Cuvillier was reported as saying: ‘The driver showed remarkable courage’
Emergency services arrived around 25 minutes later, with four passengers being seriously injured.
Speaking at the time, French transport minister Frederic Cuvillier was reported as saying: ‘The driver showed remarkable courage.
‘The witnesses all agree that his acts and his attitude meant a much heavier loss of life was avoided.’
The inquest heard the French report concluded the cause had been ‘the failing of the main brake, the pads of which had been completely destroyed by excessive heating’.
The jury heard this was a result of the ‘poor condition of the hydraulic retarder’.
The inquest heard the French report concluded the cause had been ‘the failing of the main brake, the pads of which had been completely destroyed by excessive heating’