Twenty-two schoolchildren and three teachers from a school in Uthai Thani province were killed when their two-deck coach caught fire on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road today, said Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
Sixteen children and three other teachers managed to escape. One of the teachers reported that the door of the burning coach initially could not be opened, Anutin said.
Three double-decked coaches were taking the students, aged between three and nine, of Wat Khao Sangkharam school in Lan Sak district from the Ayutthaya Historical Park in Ayutthaya to the Electricity Generating Authority (EGAT) learning centre in Nonthaburi province.
The students were on a one-day trip from their school and were scheduled to arrive back at their school by 8pm this evening.
Anutin travelled to the scene of the tragic incident, with Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, to investigate the incident and to arrange for medical facilities and other help for the survivors.
Anutin disclosed that there were 38 students and six teachers on the ill-fated coach.
Citing reports from the emergency services, Anutin said it is believed that a tire burst, causing the coach to scrape along the metal crash barrier, triggering sparks which came into contact with the gas tank and started the fire.
Anutin said that 16 students and three teachers were rescued, some of them injured, and were rushed to the hospital.
Meanwhile Transport Minister Suriya said that the ministry will look into the issue of CNG, which was used as fuel in the ill-fated coach, to determine its safety and whether it should continue being use in vehicles.
The school, in the meantime, issued a statement on Facebook advising parents of the students to contact the school for information about their children.
