A cargo train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in central Bangkok on Saturday, causing the bus to burst into flames and killing at least eight people, city emergency officials said. More than 20 others were injured in the crash, which occurred late in the afternoon near an airport railway station, according to the Associated Press.
The Erawan Medical Center, Bangkok’s emergency service, confirmed the fatality count and said all victims were found on the bus. Rescue workers later entered the charred vehicle after dousing the flames, video footage from the scene showed.
Kittipong Raksa, who parked his car near the tracks, told the AP he heard the train signal before the collision. “I heard a thud and then another. I heard something hitting my car,” he said. “Then I saw the train pass, dragging the bus with it.” After the crash, he said he found someone caught under his car with a broken leg. He added that he did not see the barriers being lowered.
Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat, speaking to reporters at the scene, said all bodies were on the bus and it was unclear how many people were onboard. When asked about reports that the bus may have stopped on the tracks and that the barriers did not lower properly, he said: “the matter still needs to be investigated.”
Social media footage of the crash showed a line of vehicles stopped at the crossing when the cargo train struck the orange bus, which was then dragged along the tracks before being engulfed in flames. Several motorcycles and riders were also thrown onto the road. Later images showed rescue teams boarding the charred bus after the fire was extinguished.