Na Di: Passengers say they smelled something burning before the bus crashed into the back of a trailer truck, killing 7 and injuring more than 50. A passenger bus crashed into the back of a trailer truck, bursting into flames, killing 7 people and injuring more than 50. The Nadi District Chief said the tour bus's brakes were probably failing, but they are investigating the real cause. Passengers said they smelled something burning and the bus stopped at a gas station once before continuing on its journey.
According to Thai News Agency, this incident occurred at 01.30 this morning. The duty officer at Wang Khon Daeng Police Station received a report that a passenger bus had crashed into the back of a 22-wheel container trailer on the Khao Sala Pu Thon downhill on Road 304 heading to Kabin Buri, Na Di District, Prachin Buri Province. The 22-wheel trailer then slid into another trailer loaded with flour. In a split second, the bus that had been completely destroyed in the front caught fire, resulting in 7 deaths: the first-class driver, the second-class driver, a bus boy, and passengers on the second floor of the bus. In addition, more than 30 people were injured. Rescue workers had to help and take them to the hospital. They used cutting equipment to remove the deceased from the vehicle.
The bus was driving in a zigzag pattern, suspected of brake failure and fear of falling into a ravine, so it decided to crash into the trailer.
One of the passengers said that the bus was leaving Nong Khai Province and was heading to Rayong Province. He was sleeping on the way, but when he woke up, he saw the bus driving fast, going left and right as if trying to swerve to avoid it. When they reached the scene of the accident, the bus crashed into the car in front. The cause is unknown, but many people suspect that the bus' brakes had failed.
The driver who was driving behind the bus said that he slowly drove the 6-wheeled vehicle down the hill because he was afraid that the brakes would burn out. At first, the bus was driving behind, but before the incident, the bus cut in front of it. Then the bus seemed to lose control and hit a wall. There were flames all the way. He saw that things were not going well, so he drove after it at a speed of hundreds. He hoped that if the bus stopped, he would be able to help the people in the bus. When he caught up, he saw 2 people thrown out of the bus. At that time, the bus was not on fire yet. He quickly told the people who were thrown out to call for the people in the bus to hurry up and escape. Then the bus caught fire, so he had to quickly use the fire extinguisher in the car to help put out the fire.
While Mr. Somchai Phutthasena, the Nadi District Chief, stated that although initially it is expected that the bus brakes may have failed, they are urgently investigating the real cause of this accident, including checking the time stamp at the rest stop.
This morning, the news team went to Nadi Hospital and the police station and received additional information that the bus was carrying 56 passengers, of whom 4 died, excluding the driver and the bus boy. The injured person who is currently being treated at the hospital told the news team that since the departure, the bus stopped at a gas station only once. Then it drove on without stopping anywhere else. When the bus was zigzagging and swerving, it smelled a burning smell. It is thought that the driver was zigzagging back and forth hoping to slow down the car. But when they arrived at the scene of the accident, they could not avoid it because if they did, they would fall off the cliff. So the driver decided to hit the car in front.
The incident resulted in 7 deaths: 5 men and 2 women. Of these, 4 were passengers, while the rest were the driver and a bus boy. The cause is believed to be a failure of the bus's brakes, but the police are awaiting confirmation.