16 People Die in ALS Bus Fire After Crash, Ministry of Transportation Responds
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) has commented on the fatal accident involving an Antar Lintas Sumatera (ALS) bus and a fuel tanker truck on the Trans-Sumatra Highway (Jalinsum) in North Musi Rawas Regency (Muratara), South Sumatra. The incident resulted in a total of 16 deaths and has drawn serious attention from the government.
The accident occurred at Simpang Danau, Karang Jaya Ward, Karang Jaya Subdistrict, on Wednesday (6/5/2026) around 12:00 WIB. According to police information, the ALS bus is suspected of veering into the oncoming lane while avoiding a pothole before colliding with the tanker truck coming from the opposite direction. Citing detiknews, 16 people died due to the fire following the accident, including the ALS bus driver. Two of the deceased were the fuel tanker driver and his assistant. To date, police are still identifying the bodies, with only five corpses identified so far.
“The Directorate General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation extends its condolences over the traffic accident involving one Antar Lintas Sumatera (ALS) bus and one tanker truck on the Trans-Sumatra Highway, Karang Jaya Ward, North Musi Rawas Regency (Muratara) on Wednesday (6/5). The incident occurred around 12:39 WIB,” said Director General of Land Transportation at Kemenhub, Aan Suhanan, in his statement to CNBC Indonesia on Thursday (7/5/2026).
The government is now conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the fatal accident. Several agencies have been mobilised to gather data from the field, including victim identities and the condition of the vehicles involved.
Spotlight has also fallen on the licensing status of the ALS bus, which is reported to have expired since November 2020 based on data from the Kemenhub’s Mitra Darat application. Nevertheless, the vehicle still holds an active periodic test or KIR until May 2026.
“To delve deeper into the cause of the accident, Ditjen Hubdat has currently deployed officers to the field and is actively coordinating with the police, the Class II Land Transportation Management Agency of South Sumatra, the local Provincial Transportation Agency, and the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT),” said Aan.
A joint team with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) is still processing the data on the victims. Some victims were reported to have died due to the bus catching fire after a severe impact with the fuel tanker truck.
This accident has once again raised concerns about road transport safety aspects, particularly for inter-city public transport vehicles still operating on national roads.
“Currently, the joint team in the field with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) is conducting further data collection regarding the identities of the victims,” he said.
Kemenhub has also reminded all bus companies to ensure that operated fleets meet applicable safety and legality standards. Vehicle condition checks are a fundamental matter that must not be neglected.
On the other hand, this accident serves as a reminder of the significant challenges in supervising public vehicles, especially regarding compliance with operational permits and fleet worthiness in the field.
“The Directorate General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation urges all bus company owners to operate fleets that meet roadworthiness technical requirements and administrative requirements in accordance with their permits. In addition, every driver must have their health checked, check the vehicle condition before operating, and must possess good competence in driving the vehicle,” Aan stated.