Over 20 Feared Dead as School Bus Catches Fire Near Bangkok

Photo : AP

A devastating bus fire in suburban Bangkok on Tuesday has resulted in fears that more than 20 people, including young students and their teachers, have perished. The bus, carrying 44 passengers from Uthai Thani province on a school trip to Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi, was engulfed in flames shortly after noon in Pathum Thani, a northern suburb of the capital.

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Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungruengkit reported that the students, ranging from elementary to junior high school, were on an excursion when the tragic incident occurred. Eyewitness accounts and videos depict the bus entirely consumed by fire, with thick black smoke billowing into the air while it was parked on the roadside. Unfortunately, bodies were still inside the bus hours after the flames were extinguished.

Initial reports indicated that 25 individuals were feared dead, but as rescue efforts progressed, officials confirmed that two additional survivors had been located, reducing the total number of those still unaccounted for to 23, comprising three teachers and 20 students. The interior minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, stated that the exact number of fatalities could not be confirmed until the investigation was complete. He noted that the bus driver survived the incident but fled the scene and remains missing.

Rescue teams were able to reach the bus several hours after the fire was brought under control. According to Piyalak Thinkaew, a rescuer from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, most of the bodies were found in the middle and rear seats of the vehicle, suggesting that the fire may have originated at the front of the bus. Reports indicated that the bus was en route to Nonthaburi when it suddenly caught fire, potentially due to an explosion of one of its tires, causing the vehicle to scrape against a road barrier.

In the aftermath of this tragic event, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra extended her condolences and assured that the government would cover medical expenses and provide compensation for the victims’ families. Nearby, the patRangsit Hospital reported admitting three young girls, one of whom sustained burns to her face, mouth, and eye.

As the investigation continues, the families of those affected by this tragedy are left grappling with the unimaginable loss and the uncertainty surrounding the fate of their loved ones.