Bus Bursts into Flame, Killing Nine in W Sumatra

Padang, W Sumatra, Jan 31 (Antara) - A bus carrying 36 passengers burst into flames in West Sumatra province, killing nine people and injuring 10 others. The bodies of the victims were taken to a nearby general hospital for identification by a medical team from the West Sumatra provincial police, acting head of the Sijunjung district disaster mitigation board (BPBD) Hardiwan stated on Friday. "Police officers found it hard to identify the bodies of the passengers after the bus burst into flames," he pointed out. Hardiwan explained that police officers had taken the injured to three public health service posts in West Sumatra's Sinjunjung district. He recalled one of the passengers saying he saw a spark beside the driver. The spark spread panic among the passengers, who then hurried to get out of the bus to save themselves, he explained. "The fire spread and burnt the bus so quickly that it struck the nine passengers inside the bus, "PO Family Raya," he stated. The blaze was put out 15 minutes after a fire truck was sent to the scene, he pointed out. Spokesman of the West Sumatra provincial police Snr. Comr. Po Wisnu Handoko confirmed that nine passengers were killed in the accident. "Ten people have suffered burns in the accident," he stated. The police are investigating into the cause of the fire. (*)