Tshwane bus fire: Six commuters burned to death, dozens injured
Six people who were on-board a bus in Tshwane, have been burned to death, after it caught alight on Friday afternoon, 21 May 2021, the City has confirmed.
The horrific incident took place on the R573 Moloto Road and left 57 passengers injured.
According to Tshwane Emergency Services’ Charles Mabaso, they had received a call about the Putco bus being on fire, just after the Roodeplaat Dam, before 14:00 and sent out emergency teams immediately.
“Firefighters arrived on scene to find 14 patients and received reports that some have already been transported by private emergency medical services ambulances. Of the 14 patients, 11 suffered minor injuries, 2 sustained moderate injuries, while 1 female patient had to be airlifted to Milpark Hospital in a critical condition,” Mabaso said.
“During the cooling down of the burning bus after extinguishing the blaze, firefighters discovered what looked like charred human remains. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that 6 of the commuters burned beyond recognition”
Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Charles Mabaso
The cause of the Tshwane bus fire not yet known
According to the Tshwane emergency officials, the driver claimed he was driving as normal, when he was told about it being in flames, which prompted him to stop.
The exact circumstances surrounding the blaze remain unknown at this stage. They are also yet to establish the identities of the deceased, but will likely give an update and reveal their names, once they have (and their families have been informed).
“The driver of the PUTCO bus informed firefighters that he was busy driving the bus when he was informed that the bus is on fire and immediately stopped the bus. The driver indicated that the bus was carrying 63 commuters from Marabastad in Tshwane to Tweefontein in Mpumalanga. The cause of the fire is not yet known, and the deceased have not yet been identified,” Mabaso added.
No comments: