Six killed as bus burst into flames

BANDARLAMPUNG, Lampung: A bus with 42 people on board collided with a truck and burst into flames at Bandardalam village, South Lampung, Wednesday morning, killing six people and injuring tens of others.

Faisal, one of the survivors, said the speeding truck was overtaking a motorcycle and moved to the right hand side of the road as the bus was coming from the opposite direction.

"Our bus actually was not going too fast. But because it was too close to the truck, the collision was inevitable," he said as quoted by Antara.

Most of the survivors escaped the blaze by breaking the bus windows. "There was great panic and we sensed imminent fire. The victims were passengers who were squeezed between the bus seats and could not get out," one of the survivors said.

Six bodies of victims burned beyond recognition and five injured passengers were taken to the Kalianda hospital in South Lampung.

The bus was en route from Medan to Jakarta.