BANGKOK, Thailand. A devastating bus fire in a northern suburb of Bangkok has left 23 people, including schoolchildren and teachers, feared dead, according to officials. The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a bus carrying young students on a school trip burst into flames while traveling from Uthai Thani to Nonthaburi and Ayutthaya provinces.
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungruengkit confirmed that the bus was carrying 44 passengers, primarily elementary and junior high school students and their teachers. “The scene is heartbreaking,” Suriya said, as he surveyed the charred remains of the bus.
Videos circulating on social media showed the entire bus engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke billowing from the vehicle as it stood on the side of the road. Hours after the fire was extinguished, bodies were still being recovered from the wreckage, mostly from the middle and rear sections of the bus, indicating that the fire likely started at the front.
Piyalak Thinkaew, a rescuer from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, reported that of the 44 people on board, 23 were unaccounted for: three teachers and 20 students. “We found two more survivors later, but the number of those feared dead remains at 23,” Piyalak told reporters.
The fire reportedly began around noon in Pathum Thani province, just outside the capital. Early investigations suggest that the blaze was triggered by a tire explosion, which caused the bus to scrape against a road barrier, leading to the fire.
Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul explained that the bus driver survived but fled the scene, and authorities are currently searching for him. “We cannot confirm the exact number of fatalities until the investigation at the site is completed,” Anutin stated.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her sorrow over the tragedy, offering condolences to the victims’ families via the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). She assured the public that the government would fully cover medical expenses for the injured and provide compensation to the families of those who lost their lives.
Three survivors, all young girls, were admitted to patRangsit Hospital near the scene. Hospital officials stated that one of the girls suffered severe burns to her face, mouth, and eye.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the fire, as the nation mourns the loss of so many young lives in this heartbreaking tragedy.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
