Written by Lisa Murimi
A bus carrying dozens of primary school children crashed and caught fire near Bangkok, Thailand, in a devastating accident.
Sixteen children and three teachers managed to escape, but 22 students and three teachers are still unaccounted for, according to Thailand’s Transport Minister.
The exact number of fatalities remains unknown, but Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirmed there were “deaths and injuries.”
Eight survivors have been taken to the hospital for treatment.
The bus, one of three returning from a school field trip, was powered by compressed natural gas, which Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit called “extremely risky.”
He suggested banning such fuel in passenger vehicles due to the heightened danger.
Photographs from the scene show the bus completely destroyed by the fire, with investigators unable to enter due to the intense heat.
Rescuers described the difficulty of identifying the remains of the small bodies, most found at the rear of the bus, as the children instinctively fled the flames.
The crash occurred when a tyre burst, sending the bus into a barrier.
The driver fled the scene, but authorities are confident he will be found.
Thailand has one of the highest road fatality rates in the world, with approximately 20,000 deaths annually.
