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Bangkok bus-train crash
A freight train struck a public bus at a rail crossing near Makkasan train station in Bangkok, triggering a fire that engulfed the bus and nearby vehicles on Saturday afternoon.
“Eight people were killed and 32 injured, with the wounded being treated at various hospitals”
Bangkok police chief Urumporn Koondejsumrit said, "Eight people were killed and 32 injured, with the wounded being treated at various hospitals," and the deputy transport minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said, "All eight dead were on the bus."
The collision happened close to the Airport Rail Link’s Makkasan station, with videos shared on social media showing the train striking the bus and dragging several other nearby vehicles along the tracks.
Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat told reporters that preliminary reports showed the bus had stopped on the tracks at a red light, preventing crossing barriers from closing, and that the train transporting containers was unable to stop in time.
AP reported that the impact dragged several nearby vehicles along the tracks before the bus was engulfed in flames, and that Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said, "all the bodies were found on the bus."
Witnesses and investigation
A motorcycle taxi driver, Wanthong Kokpho, told Reuters that the bus was stuck at a red light and could not move, adding, "The fire broke out immediately ... If this had been a normal working day, the damage would have been much worse."
The BBC reported that Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said initial reports suggested the bus had stopped on the tracks amid heavy traffic, preventing crossing barriers from closing, and that the train carrying containers was not able to stop in time.
AP said Thai news reported the crash happened in the late afternoon near an airport railway station in the central area, and it described footage shared on social media showing a line of vehicles stopped at the crossing when the cargo train struck the orange bus.
Bangkok Post said police investigators were alerted via the 199 emergency hotline at 3.42pm about a fire involving an air-conditioned passenger bus near the Airport Rail Link station on Asok-Din Daeng Road in Huai Khwang district.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an investigation into the crash, according to a statement from his office, and UPI reported that his office said he ordered the probe as well.
Casualties and what’s next
In the immediate aftermath, rescue teams worked to pull injured victims from the wreckage as fire crews contained the blaze, and the fire was brought under control while crews cooled the area, venting gas and continuing to search for victims.
“"Eight people have died and 35 others were injured,"”
The Guardian said the collision involved cars and motorcycles as well as the bus, and it reported that the wounded were being treated at various hospitals while authorities investigated the cause of the incident.
Bangkok Post said eight passengers’ bodies were discovered inside the bus and that firefighters and rescue teams worked in Huai Khwang district of Bangkok, with the Ministry of Transport, the State Railway of Thailand and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) monitoring the situation.
CNA reported that Bangkok police chief Urumporn Koondejsumrit updated the number of injured to 35, and it quoted him saying, "Eight people have died and 35 others were injured."
The crash also raised questions about rail safety, with Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng saying the incident could fuel concerns that Thailand’s rail system is "very antiquated" and would "raise questions about the safety record of Bangkok’s railways."
