BANGKOK, Thailand: A catastrophic fire broke out on a Thai bus carrying 44 students and teachers on a school trip on Tuesday, leading to fears that up to 25 individuals may have perished in the incident.
The bus, transporting students from Uthai Thani province, encountered a serious accident when a tire burst while traveling on a highway in a northern suburb of Bangkok. The vehicle crashed into a barrier, which led to a fire igniting the bus’s compressed gas fuel tanks.
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit reported that, out of the 44 people on board, only 19—three teachers and 16 students—managed to escape the flames. The whereabouts of the remaining passengers remain uncertain, prompting significant concern and grief.
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Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her condolences to the families affected, acknowledging the tragedy on social media and highlighting the profound sorrow felt by many.
The horrific scene was captured in video footage showing the bus engulfed in flames beneath an overpass, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Rescue workers faced challenges in their recovery efforts, as they had to wait for the vehicle to cool down before conducting a thorough search for any remaining individuals. This incident underscores Thailand’s ongoing struggles with road safety, where a combination of unsafe vehicles and poor driving practices has resulted in a high annual death toll from traffic accidents.
