Tour Coach Catches Fire: 26 Dead

Last Update 14:50

A tour coach crashed into the guardrail after catching fire and going out of control on National Highway 2 near the airport interchange at around midday. Twenty-six people including 24 passengers, the driver, and a tour-guide were incinerated in the blaze.

Because of the intensity of the fire, it took firefighters 30 minutes to extinguish the flames.

The coach was carrying a tour group from Laoning Province, China. They were heading to Taipei Taoyuan International Airport to return home after an 8-day tour of Taiwan. The group was comprised of 10 males and 16 females, including 3 children.

Pictures from the scene show a police officer and a bystander desperately trying to smash windows with fire-extinguishers, but to no avail. Both the front door and the emergency exit were blocked by the guardrail and could not be opened.

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