Eight killed, 32 injured as freight train hits bus at rail crossing in Bangkok

At least eight people were killed and 32 others were injured in Thailand on Saturday after a freight train rammed into a bus at a rail crossing in Bangkok, igniting a fire that engulfed the vehicle, said rescue officials and deputy transport minister.

Firefighters and rescue crews were dispatched as flames engulfed the public bus and nearby vehicles near the Airport Rail Link’s Makkasan station. The crash also involved cars ⁠and motorcycles, said officials.

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said preliminary reports showed the bus had been stopped on the tracks at a red light, preventing crossing barriers from closing.

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The train, which was transporting containers, was unable to stop in time to avoid colliding with the bus, he told reporters.

“Eight people were killed and 32 injured, with the wounded being treated at various hospitals. All eight dead were on the bus,” he said.

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Videos shared on social media showed the train striking the bus and dragging several ⁠other nearby vehicles along the tracks.

“The bus was stuck at a red light, so it couldn’t move. Cars were also blocked and unable to move forward,” said Wanthong Kokpho, a motorcycle taxi driver who witnessed the crash.

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“The fire broke out immediately ... If this ⁠had been a normal working day, the damage would have been much worse.”

Rescue teams pulled injured victims from the wreckage as fire crews battled the blaze with water hoses. Authorities are investigating the ⁠cause of the incident. Thailand’s roads rank among the world’s deadliest due to poor enforcement of safety standards, according to the World Health Organization.