At least 28 passengers killed when a coach caught on fire

A packed Bangkok-bound coach caught on fire on Tuesday in Nakhon Ratchasima province, burning to death at least 28 passengers.

The 40-seat bus left Yasothon at about 5am and its break system broke down as it approached Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district.

When the problem was fixed, it continued its ride. However the engine caught on fire, when it went downhill.

The fire raged to passengers' compartment and burnt to death 28 passengers.

The Nation

SARABURI TRAGIC ROAD ACCIDENT

Fiery bus crash kills 29

Saraburi _ Twenty-nine passengers burned to death and 31 others were injured when an air-conditioned bus went up in flames on the Friendship Highway in Muak Lek district yesterday afternoon. The bus, which belonged to Sa-nguan Yan Yon Co, had about 60 passengers on board heading to Bangkok from Yasothon province.

Seventeen of the injured were sent to Saraburi hospital, 10 were rushed to Muak Lek hospital and four taken to Pak Chong hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima.

It took firefighters about 10 minutes to douse the flames when they reached the scene.

The bodies of the dead were so badly burned they could not be identified.

Pol Col Nisakorn Boontanont, Muak Lek district police chief, said passengers who survived the accident reported having seen flames streaming from the rear of the bus.

The passengers had alerted the driver to the fire, but he had not stopped the bus to allow them to get off, Pol Col Nisakorn said.

Some of the passengers had decided to jump out of the bus while it was still moving.

The driver eventually lost control of the vehicle which skidded off the highway and was engulfed in flames.

Passengers said the bus had a brake problem earlier when it was in Pak Chong district in Nakhon Ratchasima. The driver stopped there to get the problem fixed.

But when the bus was in Saraburi a wheel caught fire and the blaze spread to the engine. The brakes then failed to work.

Bangkok Post

When you ask why they crammed at least 60 persons into a 40-seat bus you'll also come up with the answer why the already-running-late bus tour was continued completely ignorant of safety concerns.
And certainly more could have gotten out to save themselves if it had not been as packed . . .
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Quote:The passengers had alerted the driver to the fire, but he had not stopped the bus to allow them to get off, Pol Col Nisakorn said.

The driver obviously, had the IQ of a dog biscuit.