Bangkok, Thailand. At least eight people were killed and 32 others injured on Saturday after a freight train struck a public bus at a rail crossing in Bangkok, igniting a fire that engulfed the vehicle, officials said.
Collision near Makkasan station
Firefighters and rescue crews were dispatched as flames engulfed the bus and nearby vehicles close to the Airport Rail Link’s Makkasan station, officials said. The crash also involved cars and motorcycles, according to officials.
Officials cite bus stopped on tracks
Preliminary reports showed the bus had been stopped on the tracks at a red light, preventing crossing barriers from closing, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat told reporters. The freight train, transporting containers, was unable to stop in time to avoid colliding with the bus, he said.
Casualties and rescue response
“Eight people were killed and 32 injured, with the wounded being treated at various hospitals. All eight dead were on the bus,” Siripong said. Rescue teams worked to pull injured victims from the wreckage as fire crews battled the blaze with water hoses, officials said.
Witness account and social media footage
Videos shared on social media showed the train striking the bus and dragging several other nearby vehicles along the tracks. “The bus was stuck at a red light, so it couldn’t move. Cars were also blocked and unable to move forward,” witness Wanthong Kokpho, a motorcycle taxi driver, told Reuters. “The fire broke out immediately … If this had been a normal working day, the damage would have been much worse.”
What safety measures do you think could help prevent vehicles from being trapped on rail crossings?