Buriram —
At 4:00 PM on November 19th, 2024, Mueang Buriram police responded to a fire involving a 13-seat passenger van on the Buriram-Nang Rong Road. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
At the scene, the van was engulfed in flames as firefighters worked for 20 minutes to extinguish the blaze. The vehicle was completely destroyed. Among the six passengers—a man, five women, and one schoolchild—all escaped unharmed but were visibly shaken.
The van driver, 62-year-old Boonthan Yophothi, said he was filling in for the regular driver, who was on leave. The van had not undergone a mechanical check before departure.
After picking up passengers in Nakhon Ratchasima and dropping some off at the Buriram Bus Terminal, the van caught fire about 5 kilometers into its return journey to Nakhon Ratchasima.
The van driver reportedly noticed smoke from the engine, stopped the vehicle, and evacuated passengers before the flames erupted. According to the driver, multiple explosions followed as the van used NGV fuel.
Initially, local authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and have urged vehicle operators to prioritize maintenance checks to ensure passenger safety.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
