Up to 25 people feared dead in school bus fire in Thailand

A devastating fire ripped through a Thai bus carrying 44 young students and teachers on a school trip on Tuesday, leaving up to 25 feared dead.

The bus was traveling from central Uthai Thani province to Bangkok for a school trip when the fire broke out around midday in Pathum Thani province, a northern suburb of the capital, Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungruengkit told reporters at the scene.

“Initial reports said there were 44 people on board, 38 students and six teachers. As far as we know now, three teachers and 16 students dropped out,” he said. “We are not yet clear about those who are still missing.”

Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said officials could not yet confirm the death toll because they had not completed investigating the crime scene. However, based on the number of survivors, it is feared that 25 people may have died.

A rescuer said on local television that a tire burst on a highway and the vehicle crashed into a guardrail. The bus was running on compressed gas and the accident ignited its fuel tanks, the rescuer said.