Bus-Tanker Collision Causes Fire on Sumatra Highway, 16 Dead

Kathmandu. A passenger bus and a fuel tanker collided on the Trans-Sumatra Highway in Indonesia's Sumatra island on Wednesday, causing a massive fire. At least 16 people have died and four have been injured in the accident. Officials said rescue operations were extremely difficult as most victims were burned inside the vehicles.

The inter-city bus, carrying about 20 passengers, was completely destroyed in the accident that occurred in the afternoon in the North Musi Rawas Regency area of South Sumatra province. According to Mugono, an official from the local disaster management agency, the bus was traveling from Lubuklinggau city in South Sumatra to Jambi. Preliminary investigations indicate that the bus had technical problems before the collision.

According to Mugono, it is estimated that sparks may have suddenly come from the bus. To avoid a potential major accident, the driver attempted to steer the bus to the right side of the road. However, at the same time, the bus directly collided with a fuel tanker truck coming at high speed from the opposite direction.

The collision was so powerful that fire spread to both vehicles within moments. The fire completely engulfed the bus and the tanker. Many passengers were trapped inside the vehicles and burned before they could get out.

Officials said that 13 passengers, including the bus driver, and the driver and co-driver of the tanker died in the accident. It is reported that identifying most of the bodies was difficult as they were found burned.

The four passengers who survived the accident were immediately taken to a nearby health center. Three of the injured have severe burns, while one has sustained minor injuries.

According to officials, the passenger list of the bus has not yet been fully recovered. Therefore, the final details of the actual number of passengers and the deceased are being collected. A rescue team, disaster management officials, and traffic police were deployed at the scene.

Firefighters had to struggle for a long time to control the fire. Pictures and videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency show thick black smoke spreading across the highway and large flames rising.

The burnt wreckage of the bus and tanker was scattered across the road, and twisted metal and burnt structures highlighted the horror of the accident. Rescue workers attempted to extract victims trapped inside the vehicles, but the work was complicated by the fire and damaged structures.

Traffic on the Trans-Sumatra Highway was disrupted for a long time after the accident. Road accidents are frequent in Indonesia due to poor road infrastructure, inadequate safety standards, and high speeds.

Just last week, outside the capital Jakarta, a passenger train collided with a stopped train after hitting a taxi stuck on the tracks, killing at least 15 women in the compartment reserved for women.