At least eight people died and 25 were injured on Saturday (16) after a freight train collided with a public transport bus in Bangkok, Thailand. The vehicle caught fire after the impact, and the accident also involved cars and motorcycles, according to local authorities.
Bangkok's emergency command and fire center, known as The Phraram Command, reported that the incident occurred around 3:51 p.m. (local time) on the Asoke-Dindang highway in the Ratchathewi district. Rescue teams and firefighters went to the scene to contain the flames and assist the victims.
Initially, the command center reported that the fire continued to spread and that intermittent explosions were heard in the area, likely caused by the impact and the burning of several vehicles. In a later update, the entity confirmed the discovery of two additional bodies inside the charred bus, raising the preliminary toll to eight dead and 25 injured.
The freight train struck the bus near Makkasan station on the railway line to the airport, according to the Thai newspaper The Nation. The vehicle was engulfed in flames, and other cars and motorcycles were also damaged.
Rescue teams worked for hours to evacuate the injured and recover bodies trapped in the bus wreckage, while firefighters managed to control the fire. Authorities have cordoned off the area and continue to investigate the causes of the accident.