reader Posted October 1 Posted October 1 From The Nation Officials have confirmed the tragic loss of 25 lives in a school bus fire in Pathum Thani; the bus was among three chartered by Uthai Thani school for trip to Ayutthaya Rescue officials have confirmed the loss of 25 lives in the tragic school bus fire that occurred in Pathum Thani on Tuesday. The bus was among three that had been chartered by Wat Khao Phaya Sangkharam School in Uthai Thani to take young primary students and teachers on a sightseeing trip to Ayutthaya. Police and rescue officials said they had recovered 22 bodies of students and three bodies of teachers from the wreckage. Nineteen individuals had been rescued. Police forensic experts, led by Pol Lt-General Trairong Phiewphan, arrived at the scene at about 1.30pm to oversee the investigation. Pol Maj-General Silapakhom Iamwong, deputy commissioner of the Provincial Police Bureau 1, confirmed that the bus was transporting 38 students and six teachers. The recovery of the bodies has been challenging due to the extensive damage caused by the fire. Deputy PM and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said a crane will be required to safely access the interior of the bus. School staff said the students had visited Wat Phra Si Sanphet in Ayutthaya and were heading to the learning centre of Phra Ram 6 Electricity Generating Office in Nonthaburi’s Bang Kruay district when the accident occurred. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40041972 t0oL1, Ruthrieston, splinter1949 and 1 other 4 Quote
t0oL1 Posted October 1 Posted October 1 https://www.yahoo.com/news/officials-recover-23-bodies-deadly-145114693.html STORY: At least 23 people died in Thailand on Tuesday (October 1) when a school bus caught fire in the outskirts of the capital Bangkok, according to police. Video shared by rescuers showed flames engulfing the bus, which was carrying more than 40 primary school students and teachers on a field trip. Forensics police said among the 23 bodies recovered, 11 were male and seven were female, while the gender of five bodies were not immediately able to be determined. Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters he's requested the police chief to speed up the autopsies and identification process. "Once the identity's confirmed, the bodies should be promptly sent back to their hometowns for religious ceremonies" Earlier, Thailand's transport minister said 16 students and three teachers were rescued and sent to hospital for treatment, adding that the cause of the incident was still being investigated. Police said witnesses described the fire as igniting "very quickly", and believed an explosion was caused by a spark from the tyre that lit the vehicle's gas cylinder. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the students were on a field trip from the province of Uthai Thani, about 155 miles (250km) north of the capital. In a social media post, she wrote, quote, "As a mother, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families." Quote
Keithambrose Posted October 1 Posted October 1 It seems that the driver ran away. What a tragedy. bkkmfj2648 1 Quote
reader Posted October 2 Author Posted October 2 This is one of the saddest events I've come across while reporting Thai news. Most troubling is that the hazards associated with the bus were well known before this tragedy. From Khaosod English Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said the deadly bus that caught fire is not a double-decker bus but a tall single-deck bus powered by CNG, which made it very susceptible to fire. He added that the ministry will review the use of gas-powered buses due to safety concerns. https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2024/10/01/thailand-mourns-as-school-bus-fire-claims-multiple-young-lives/ ================== From The Thaiger The driver behind the wheel in yesterday’s tragic bus blaze in Pathum Thani province turned himself in after initially fleeing from the devastating fire. He sought refuge at a relative’s home. A survival teacher defended the bus driver saying he made efforts to save all the victims before fleeing in a panic. The tragic incident occurred at around 12pm yesterday, October 1, when a fire broke out on a coach carrying 44 students and teachers on a field trip. The students, aged between three and 14 years old, were visiting Ayutthaya Historical Park and were travelling to another destination in Nonthaburi when the fire occurred. Three injured students were admitted to PatRangsit Hospital, with two of them in critical condition. Doctors informed DailyNews that one young girl suffered burns to her face, eyes, mouth, and right arm. She was struggling to breathe and at risk of losing her sight. The bus driver, later identified as 48 year old Saman Chanphut, was not present at the scene when the emergency services arrived. Saman reportedly fled after the fire, prompting widespread condemnation from netizens for his perceived reckless actions. However, the news Facebook page Esor News later shared a video showing Saman, wearing a striped shirt and carrying a red fire extinguisher, attempting to extinguish the fire. This video corroborated his claim that he tried to save the victims. Saman claimed that he been driving the bus at around 70 to 80 kilometres per hour when he felt one of the wheels fall into a hole in the road. He was unsure whether it was the tyre or the air spring that burst but he lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer to the right and collide with a Mercedes-Benz sedan. According to Saman, he attempted to regain control after the crash but failed. The bus then hit a traffic barrier, and the fire broke out. Saman said he exited the vehicle to retrieve fire extinguishers from two other buses to put out the fire. Saman stated that the fire became more intense, causing him to panic and flee the scene. He hid at a relative’s house in Ang Thong before deciding to turn himself in. Saman initially faces two charges: Section 291 of the Criminal Law: negligence causing death. The penalty for this offence is imprisonment for up to 10 years and a fine of up to 200,000 baht. Section 78 and 160 of the Land Transport Act: failing to assist as appropriate after causing damage to other people or their properties while driving. The penalty is imprisonment of up to three months, a fine from 2,000 to 1,000 baht, or both. Continues with photos and videos https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thai-bus-blaze-driver-turns-himself-in-after-fiery-escape Ruthrieston 1 Quote
reader Posted October 3 Author Posted October 3 As more details are released, it's becoming increasingly apparent that tragedy could have been avoided. From Bangkok Post Owner tried to hide illegal gas cylinders The owner of the bus that caught fire and killed 23 students and teachers in Pathum Thani tried to hide some gas cylinders on other buses in the same fleet, according to the Department of Land Transport. After the company failed to send five buses for inspection on Thursday as ordered, officials found them via GPS at a garage in Nakhon Ratchasima and seized them while their gas cylinders were being removed, said Jirut Wisanjit, director-general of the department. Additional cylinders that had been illegally installed on the buses were being removed at the garage in tambon Khok Kruad of Muang district in Nakhon Ratchasima, Mr Jirut said on Thursday. “It indicates an intention to conceal the wrongdoing of the illegal modification of the vehicles,” he said. The five buses were part of a six-bus fleet which included the bus that caught fire and killed 20 students and three teachers from Uthai Thani during a field trip on Tuesday. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2877076/inferno-bus-owner-tried-to-hide-illegal-gas-cylinders ========================== Excerpts from the Thaiger: The driver, 48 year old Saman Chanphut, was refused bail and will remain in custody at the court until the next hearing. Officers stated that Saman had a history of fleeing, so no temporary release would be granted. Saman reportedly revealed more details of the accident to the police that he heard a noise from the vehicle’s piston but continued driving until the tragic incident occurred. Police and relevant law enforcement officials have not yet confirmed whether the mentioned piston played any role in the incident. The cause of the tragic event remains under investigation. Upon further inspection of the vehicle, officers discovered 11 NGV gas tanks, of which only six were legally installed. One of the rescuers, who helped inspect the vehicle alongside police, posted on social media, stating that he had never seen such reckless gas tank installation. Some of the tanks were installed inside the bus, endangering both the driver and passengers if there was a gas leak. Following an investigation into the vehicle, it was revealed that the bus was first registered with the Land Transport Department in 1970 in the central province of Singburi. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/bus-ted-driver-in-bus-blaze-tragedy-jailed-previous-accidents-shared Quote
