Samut Prakan bus accident claims lives on poorly lit road
A tragic bus accident in Samut Prakan province resulted in three fatalities and 22 injuries when a bus carrying employees plunged into a canal. Witnesses reported that the bus was travelling at high speed without braking before it crashed into a barrier and fell into the water. The incident occurred on Rattanakosin 200 Years Road during the early hours yesterday.
The accident site, shrouded in darkness, complicated the rescue efforts as emergency services and residents scrambled to free the trapped passengers by breaking the bus’s side windows. Two employees were found dead under the vehicle, submerged in mud. A third victim was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The injured passengers were rushed to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
Authorities had to temporarily close the road to facilitate a large crane’s retrieval of the bus from the canal. The operation was meticulous to ensure no one else was left behind before the vehicle was finally lifted onto the bridge.
The 23 year old witness, Atthapol Saibutr, recounted the harrowing moments leading up to the bus accident, describing how the bus collided with the bridge barrier as it hurtled down the road without any attempt to slow down. After the crash, he immediately stopped to help but it was too late; the bus had already fallen into the canal. Construction workers joined the rescue by breaking the vehicle’s windows to pull people out to safety, reported KhaoSod.
Rung Promsat, a former village headman residing near the accident spot, spoke about the frequent accidents on this poorly lit construction road, which has been under development for over two years. He called for the project owner and contractors to expedite the construction and improve lighting to prevent further tragedies. He recalled a previous incident where a taxi driver unfamiliar with the route crashed into the canal and died in a resulting fire.
Police Lieutenant Visrut Chuachom, Deputy Investigator at Bang Bo Police Station, revealed that the bus was transporting employees of Kimpack Company, located in the Welgrow Industrial Estate. The driver, likely unfamiliar with the pitch-dark road, crashed into the barrier, causing the vehicle to plunge into the canal.
Authorities are investigating the driver and eyewitnesses to determine the exact cause of the accident. Meanwhile, the identities of the deceased are pending confirmation by relatives, as no identification documents were found on the victims. The bodies have been sent for forensic examination to the Ramasamut Prakan Hospital.
