Bangladesh: Dozens killed in bus fire

A speeding bus packed with passengers veered off the road, crashed into a ditch and burst into flames in eastern Bangladesh, leaving more than 40 passengers dead and many others injured, a police official said.

The accident yesterday occurred in the Comilla district, about 55 miles east of the capital, Dhaka, as the bus tried to overtake another vehicle, Mahbubul Haque, the area’s police chief, said.

At least 41 people were killed and many others suffered burn injuries when the bus crashed into a ditch and caught fire, Haque said.

About seven passengers managed to jump out of the bus before it burst into flames, he added.

The bus, which was running on compressed natural gas, was on its way to southeast Chittagong city from Dhaka. It had picked up passengers along the route, and was carrying about 50 to 70 people – some of them riding on the roof, Haque said, quoting survivors.

Rescuers pulled about 41 charred bodies from the burnt-out wreck, Haque said, adding that there was little chance of finding any more intact bodies in the wreckage.

The remains were taken to a nearby police station, where relatives were trying to identify their loved ones, Khairul Ahsan, an eyewitness at the scene, said.