Twenty-two schoolchildren and three educators lost their lives when their bus went up in flames during a school excursion.
The group was on their way to their destination when the incident took place earlier today (October 1).
Disturbing footage captures the moment thick, black smoke and flames engulfed the bus, which had pulled over to the side of a multi-lane highway.
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Reports suggest the tragedy began when the front-left tyre of the bus exploded while it was still in motion.
This led to the wheel catching fire, and the driver subsequently lost control.
The bus veered into a roadside barrier, causing the fire to spread rapidly throughout the vehicle.
At the time of the accident, 38 children, aged between three and nine, and four teachers were on board.
Nineteen people managed to escape as the flames tore through the bus.
The survivors were quickly transported to hospitals for treatment of their injuries.
Firefighters arrived at the scene to combat the blaze and clear the road.
Once the fire was extinguished, they discovered the harrowing scene of several bodies inside the charred remains of the bus.
A surviving teacher explained that many passengers couldn’t escape because the bus doors wouldn’t open.
The tragic incident occurred on a road in Pathum Thani, close to Bangkok, Thailand.
The students and teachers were from Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam School in Uthai Thani.
Their intended destination was Ayutthaya Historical Park and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand Learning Centre in Nonthaburi.
They were traveling in a convoy of three buses, though the other two buses were unaffected, according to reports from VKNews24.com.
Authorities are searching for the driver, who was not present at the scene, and whose phone is currently unreachable.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her sympathies, saying: “As a mother, I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those injured and those who have passed away.
“The government will ensure that all necessary medical treatment and compensation for the affected families are fully provided.”
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SOURCE: Twenty two young pupils and three teachers die in horror bus blaze
