Twenty-three bodies have reportedly been found after a bus carrying students and teachers on a school field trip caught fire outside of Bangkok, Thailand.
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, the bus, which was carrying 45 passengers — 39 students and six teachers — from Uthai Thani province to the Thai capital, burst into flames just outside the city, reported the Associated Press.
The students and teachers were on a school trip visiting Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi provinces, Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungruengkit stated, per the AP.
The BBC reported that the bodies of 23 people had been recovered from the bus. The outlet stated forensic police confirmed 11 male and seven female bodies were discovered at the scene, and five weren’t able to be identified.
Per the BBC, Piyalak Thinkaew — a rescuer from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation — said that some of the bodies were hard to identify because they were burned so badly.
“Some of the bodies we found were very, very small,” he said, according to the publication.
Rescuers are pictured at the scene after a bus carrying students and teachers catches fire just outside of Bangkok, Thailand on Oct. 1, 2024.
NARONG SANGNAK/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The BBC stated 19 students and three teachers had survived, with 16 of the rescued being treated in the hospital.
Per the Bangkok Post, the student’s ages ranged from Kindergarten 2 (pre-school education, ages 4-5) to Matthayom 3 (around 14).
According to the AP, the driver is thought to have survived but was not present at the scene.
The outlet added that because most of the bodies were found in the middle and back seats, rescuers think the fire started at the front of the vehicle.
The National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT) said in a Facebook post, “Recovery operations have been challenging due to gas cylinders beneath the bus, posing additional risks for emergency personnel.”
“Preliminary reports suggest that a tire explosion may have caused the vehicle to veer off course and collide with a barrier, triggering a fire that spread rapidly due to the bus’s gas-powered system,” the post added.
“The government, led by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has pledged a coordinated effort to aid the victims’ families, mobilizing officials from nearby provinces to offer psychological assistance and evaluate the needs of those impacted,” the message included.
The Prime Minister said of the tragedy, per the BBC: “As a mother, I would like to express my deepest regrets to the families of those killed.”
“The government will be responsible for all the medical costs and the compensation for those killed,” she added, per the outlet.
The Thai government’s public relations department didn’t immediately respond when contacted
