A school bus was engulfed in flames on Tuesday in Bangkok (Thailand) after being the victim of an accident during which the driver lost control of the vehicle. Accordingly, 22 children and 3 teachers They lost their lives, while the bus driver fled when he saw the flames.
The vehicle was carrying 38 students and 6 teachers from the school. Wat Khao Phrayalocated in the province of Uthai Thaniand was heading north from Bangkok, where the accident occurred. Only 19 people managed to survive the accident (16 students and 3 other teachers).
Likewise, the bus driver, identified as Samarhas already been arrested by Thai authorities, as he turned himself in on the same day of the event after having hidden for several hours at a loved one’s house. He is accused of the following crimes: reckless driving with fatal consequences and leave the scene of the accident without providing help.
According to the country’s authorities, the detainee said he was driving at a speed between 70 or 80 kilometers per hour when he lost control of the bus while going over a pothole, causing a tire to burst and causing a side collision that preceded the fire. Seeing the flames, the Thai man tried to call for help and grabbed a fire extinguisher from another vehicle, but when he was overwhelmed by the accident, he decided to flee.
According to official data, this school welcomes students from entry to kindergarten until the age of 15, although, for the moment, the age of the passengers involved in the event or the identity of the victims have not been communicated.
For his part, Paetongtarn Shinawatrathe Thai Prime Minister, expressed his condolences to the affected families through a message on social networks, assuring that the government will cover the “medical costs” of survivors.
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– Ing Shin (@ingshin) October 1, 2024
“I am aware of the fire on a bus in Uthai Thani, where students were on an excursion to Bangkok, which resulted in deaths and injuries. “As a mother, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families of those injured and killed.”
“As a government, I have ordered Mr. AnutinAt Mr. Suriya and to Mr. Sabida go down to the scene of the incident themselves. “The Government will cover the medical costs and compensate the family of the deceased.”
The investigation remains open
Although the driver is in custody, officers confirmed the investigation remained “open” and they could keep the arrested person in custody for 48 hours before taking him to court.
Likewise, one of the unknowns for the police is how these 19 people were able to escape, while the other 25 did not. “Given suspicions that the door may have been blocked after the fire, and whether this was influenced by the fact that the double-decker used natural gas as fuel,” the director general of the police during a press conference. Kitrat Phanphet.
Thailand is one of the countries with higher mortality in road accidents, with around 20,000 deaths and a million injuries per year, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).
