A popular 4WD tour bus was completely destroyed by a sudden and intense fire during a sand dune adventure north of Perth on Thursday afternoon, forcing the swift evacuation of all passengers.
Dramatic Evacuation on the Dunes
The incident occurred at approximately 2:00 PM on Thursday, 8 January 2026, as the Australian Pinnacle Tours vehicle was operating in the iconic Lancelin sand dunes, located about 90 minutes north of Perth. The bus was part of the company's popular 45-minute 4WD and sandboarding adventure rides through the pristine white dunes.
According to the Pinnacle Travel Group, all tourists were safely off the vehicle before it became fully engulfed in flames. No injuries were reported among passengers or staff. The company praised their driver's "calm, swift and professional response," which included moving guests to a safe distance, alerting emergency services, attempting to control the fire where safe, and arranging an alternate vehicle to collect the stranded passengers.
Community and Emergency Response
Lancelin Volunteer Firefighters were called to the scene and successfully extinguished the blaze. The tour operator expressed immense gratitude for their prompt attendance. The Lancelin community Facebook page described the event as "sad news." The burnt-out shell of the bus was scheduled to be transported to Perth on Friday, with clean-up operations underway in the affected dune area.
The cause of the freak fire remains unknown. Pinnacle Travel Group stated this was an "isolated" incident and confirmed that its other two 4WD vehicles used for the adventure tours would undergo thorough checks before returning to service. A spokesperson emphasised there was "no indication of any issue affecting the remaining fleet."
Company Assurance and Fleet Safety
The group, which operates a fleet of over 90 vehicles, maintains that it upholds high standards of service and maintenance, with all vehicles subject to regular inspections. The destroyed bus was one of only three specifically used for the highly popular Lancelin dune tours.
The company reiterated that the safety and wellbeing of guests and staff is its highest priority. All passengers were successfully accommodated following the dramatic incident, which brought a sudden halt to what is normally a thrilling 4WD sand dune adventure.
