Eight Dead, 35 Injured in Bangkok After Cargo Train Collides with Bus
A deadly incident involving a cargo train and a city bus occurred in downtown Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday afternoon. The devastating collision sparked a fire that engulfed the bus, killing at least eight people and injuring dozens more.
The accident happened at a level crossing near Makkasan railway station, a busy intersection in the city center that is traversed by tens of thousands of vehicles each day. In addition to the bus, several other vehicles in the vicinity were also affected by the impact.
Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Transport, Siripong Angkasakulkiat, said initial reports indicated that the bus had stopped on the tracks due to heavy traffic congestion. This prevented the crossing barriers from closing. At the same time, the train carrying containers did not have enough time to stop and directly hit the bus.
According to footage circulating on social media, the train appeared to be approaching the crossing at a moderate speed before eventually hitting the bus, which immediately exploded and caught fire.
“Eight people died and 35 others were injured,” Bangkok police chief Urumporn Koondejsumrit told AFP. He added that two of the injured are currently in critical condition. “The fire is now out and we are working to evacuate the bodies.”
The flames engulfing the bus reportedly spread very quickly. An eyewitness who was near the intersection with his daughter recounted the horror to Thai PBS. “I didn’t dare look back to see if there were any casualties,” he said.
Another witness whose car was right at the railway crossing also expressed his shock to Royal Thai Police Television.
“I’m still in shock. Suddenly, I heard a loud noise and something hit my car, pushing it away. Then I saw the bus stuck to the train and there was fire everywhere. I was very scared,” said the witness.
A team of firefighters and rescuers were deployed to the scene to put out the fire, cool down the area, and extract the victims from the wreckage. Authorities also set up a police cordon at the scene while investigators examined the charred remains of the bus.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered a full investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Fatal traffic accidents are still common in Thailand, where high speeds, drunk driving, and weak law enforcement are often major contributing factors. Before this incident, similar accidents involving trains and other vehicles had also occurred in 2020, 2023, and earlier this year, killing dozens of people. (BBC/AFP/Z-2)
Thai authorities have confirmed that the evacuation of all passengers has been completed. Nearly 80 people are reported to have been injured in the latest incident.