- *** WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT ***
At least ten schoolchildren were burned alive when their school bus exploded on a Thai highway.
The bus was carrying children from the Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam school in Uthai Thani province when it caught fire on a road in Pathum Thani province, outside Bangkok, at around 12:38 local time.
Dramatic footage shows flames engulfing the entire vehicle as firefighters battled to put out the inferno.
Authorities said at least 10 children died. They said they were in third grade, so they were around nine or ten years old.
Horrible images from the scene showed their charred bodies in the burning vehicle.
The bus was carrying children from Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam school in Uthai Thani province when it caught fire on a road in Pathum Thani province, outside Bangkok, at around 12:38 local time.
The rescued children (like the girl in the photo above) suffered burns.
Dramatic footage shows flames engulfing the entire vehicle as firefighters battled to put out the inferno.
Firefighters took some of the children who managed to escape the fire to a nearby building, where they were seen being counted.
Firefighters took some of the children who managed to escape the fire to a nearby building, where they were seen being counted.
Rescuers said at least 19 of the 42 passengers, including teachers and students, were rescued and rushed to hospital, while others were still missing.
Many of the rescued passengers suffered burns, and shocking images show a girl with burns.
The causes of the fire are being investigated and the police have cordoned off the area.
Local media reports that one of the front tires exploded, causing the bus to spin out of control and crash into a metal barrier on the side of the road.
The accident reportedly sparked the fire that soon engulfed the entire vehicle.
