AFP reported that a major fire broke out on a bus carrying 44 students and teachers on their way to a picnic in Thailand on October 1. The accident claimed many lives, with the estimated death toll reaching 25.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed his grief and sent condolences to the victims' families.
Thai Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said the exact death toll was not yet known, but 25 people were still unaccounted for after the fire.
According to him, there were a total of 44 people on the bus, including 38 students and 6 teachers. Up to now, 3 teachers and 16 students have been rescued, but the fate of the remaining people is still unclear.
The bus was carrying students from Uthai Thani province when a tire suddenly blew out on a highway in the northern suburbs of Bangkok.
The explosion sent the vehicle crashing into a barrier, causing a massive fire because the vehicle was powered by compressed air. The vehicle’s fuel tanks caught fire after the collision, a rescue worker said in a local television news report.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn wrote on social media X: "I have learned about the fire on a school bus from Uthai Thani... resulting in casualties." She also expressed her deep sympathy to the families of the injured and those who died.
The fire was extinguished, but rescue workers had to wait until the car cooled down before they could enter to search for the bodies of those still trapped inside.
