10 burned to death in bus accident<\/p>\n
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Brebes, Central Java<\/p>\n
Ten people were burned to death, four others suffered serious
\ninjuries while two others suffered minor injuries when a Langsung
\nJaya bus burst into flames in Brebes, Central Java early on
\nFriday morning.<\/p>\n
The bus, carrying about 40 passengers from Cimone bus terminal
\nin Tangerang heading to Surakarta, Central Java, caught fire at
\n12:30 a.m. when passing Jl. Diponegoro in front of the Brebes
\nregent office. Brebes is a small town located near the border
\nbetween West Java and Central Java along the busy Java north
\ncoast route.<\/p>\n
The startled passengers panicked in their struggle to escape
\nthe flaming bus, leaving 10 trapped inside who subsequently died.<\/p>\n
Due to the serious burn wounds, officials at the Brebes
\ngeneral hospital's morgue failed to identify them. Four people
\nwho suffered serious injuries -- Suparman, 40; Umi Barokah, 21;
\nMakmun, 45; and Amah, 45 -- were immediately taken to the
\nhospital.<\/p>\n
Two passengers suffering minor injuries, Handoyo, 31, and
\nSlamet, 30, were allowed to leave the hospital after receiving
\ntreatment.<\/p>\n
Brebes police were still investigating the cause of the fire
\nbut they suspected that it started in the vehicle's engine that
\nquickly burned the passengers' luggage.<\/p>\n
The police were still searching for the driver Suranto, 40, a
\nresident of Kandang Sapi village in Surakarta. He fled the scene
\nwhen the fire started.<\/p>\n
The Brebes police head of traffic Adj. Comr. Grendie Teguh
\nPidegso said that he had requested additional help from the
\nCentral Java police forensic laboratory to identify the cause of
\nthe fire and the victims' identity.<\/p>\n
\"Our early examination revealed that the bus was last checked
\nthree years ago while it should have been checked annually. It
\nshowed that the bus was not fit to operate,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A survivor, Sarian said that the driver was not driving
\nrecklessly.<\/p>\n
\"But the vehicle broke down three times before reaching
\nBrebes. By the time we entered Brebes, the engine began to break
\ndown again and suddenly fire started coming from it and quickly
\nburned the seats and our luggage,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sarian said he managed to escape from the fire as he sat in
\nthe rear of the bus. Most of the casualties were among those in
\nthe front seats, and many were sleeping when it occurred.<\/p>\n
\"Many could not get out because there was a rush to the door
\nwhen everyone panicked and were overcome by smoke.\"<\/p>\n
Grendie said besides regular luggage, many passengers also had
\ncardboard boxes which quickly caught on fire.<\/p>\n
The fire was extinguished within an hour after two fire trucks
\nfrom Brebes and the neighboring town of Tegal arrived on the
\nscene.<\/p>\n
\"The tragic accident did not cause much traffic congestion
\nbecause it took place shortly after midnight when the road was
\nrelatively quiet,\" Grendie said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/10-burned-to-death-in-bus-accident-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}