Chartered bus gutted in fire - all 50 passengers safe

[webfact]

Chartered bus gutted in fire - all 50 passengers safe

 

 

Police and the fire brigade were called to the Asia Highway in Chainat in central Thailand when fire broke out on a double-decker tour bus that was heading back home from a wedding on Sunday. 

 

All fifty passengers were evacuated safely. 

 

Four fire engines from different stations took 20 minutes to get the blaze under control. It happened in Manorom district at KM marker 148. 

 

Passenger Somkhuan said the bus had been hired to go from Nakorn Sawan to Phitsanulok and was on its way back from a wedding and was 50 kilometers from its destination. 

 

First sign of trouble was water coming out of the air-con nozzles then the air-con packed up.

 

Smoke started coming out and children were gasping for air.

 

When fire was noted the driver finally stopped - but by now the vehicle had travelled 10 kilometers since the first problems were noted. 

 

Somkhuan said if it had happened at night they'd all be dead. 

 

The 52 year old driver said he stopped as soon as he became aware that his vehicle was on fire. 

 

Pol Capt Sumeth Khlumkhreua of the Manorom police is heading the investigation along with forensics teams. 

 

Source: 77kaoded

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-11-18

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[Matzzon]

Another bus burn?? Is this a Thai thing?

Edited November 18, 2019 by Matzzon

[Vacuum]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

First sign of trouble was water coming out of the air-con nozzles

How is this possible?

[edwinchester]

"...the vehicle had travelled 10 kilometers since the first problems were noted."

 

"The 52 year old driver said he stopped as soon as he became aware that his vehicle was on fire."

 

AC malfunctioning, bus filling with smoke and passengers gasping for air but still continues.

Driver is sharp as a marble at best.

 

[Geoffggi]

The only good thing to come out of this mishap is there is one less of these double decker death traps on the road.....

[Redline]

Safety first

[legend49]

Looking at the photo I would have let it burn out why waste heaps of water and foam on that. Secondly, it appears the AC was at fualt maybe because it has never been serviced like many infrastructure in this country..

[owenm]

It doesn't look like a double decker bus to me.. There's no windows down below.. 

[Vacuum]

2 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

The only good thing to come out of this mishap is there is one less of these double decker death traps on the road.....

They'll refurbish  it in 2-3 weeks.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

When fire was noted the driver finally stopped - but by now the vehicle had travelled 10 kilometers since the first problems were noted

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The 52 year old driver said he stopped as soon as he became aware that his vehicle was on fire

Hmmmmm drivers reactions were impeccable!

[Classic Ray]

6 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Another bus burn?? Is this a Thai thing?

From the U.K. (comparable population) When looking more closely into Government statistics on vehicle fires, records show that between 2011-2017, 61% of all recorded bus and coach fires in the UK started within the engine compartment. Out of this 61% or 1,424 buses and coaches, 216 of these vehicles were completely destroyed. More worryingly, but not surprisingly, 29% of these fires started with passenger’s present. While most were safely evacuated, there were 26 fatalities recorded.

 

These figures are for 7 years, so that is around 200 per year with 30 destroyed. Would be interesting to see how this compares as I remember many bus and coach fires reported in Thailand.

[30la]

Check it out, you'll see that all the maintenance work has been done and that the bus was almost new, we drivers and bus companies take security and responsibility very seriously!????????????

[PETERTHEEATER]

6 hours ago, owenm said:

It doesn't look like a double decker bus to me.. There's no windows down below.. 

It is a 'double decker' in the sense that there is an upper (passenger carrying) deck and a lower (baggage carrying) deck. With a full complement of passengers it is inevitable that total passenger weight exceeds total baggage weight resulting in top-heaviness.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

The only good thing to come out of this mishap is there is one less of these double decker death traps on the road.....

 

Only for a week or so... until the burnt bus is repainted and put back into service, no doubt!

[ubon farang]

Oh no I am taking an Overnight bus on the 20 th December. Should i cancel or take the risk? Maybe i should drive the bus. I have a bus license which is more than some of these drivers in Thailand have? Test for getting a bus License in Thailand. Sir here you 2 pieces of machinery in front of you. Which one is a car and which one is a bus? Answer that one sir> Wrong try again. That one Correct you passs your bus license

[neeray]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

When fire was noted the driver finally stopped - but by now the vehicle had travelled 10 kilometers since the first problems were noted. 

This reminds me of when I loaned my 1976 Datsun 280Z (in 1977) to an employee for an out of town trip.

He told me he saw a puff of smoke (steam) and the heat gauge rise but kept driving until it stalled out.

As it turned out, the engine had blown a head gasket. Had he stopped immediately, he would have saved me the cost of a new, aluminum cylinder head which became heat-warped; big bucks even back then.

 

Same for the bus driver. Had he stopped at the first sign of trouble, he would have quite likely avoided setting the bus ablaze.