bus
BANGKOK (The Nation/Asia News Network): A woman passenger was injured when a No. 552 bus caught fire in front of Pantip Plaza mall on Ngam Wong Wan Road in Nonthaburi province on Monday (May 23) night.
Firefighters took about 30 minutes to bring the blaze under control. Nine natural gas fuel tanks were found on the roof of the gutted bus.
The fire also damaged about 50m of adjacent electric and communication wires.
A statement released by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) said the fire was caused by a brake system failure, which caused the brakes to stick together and overheat.
The BMTA has asked Cho Thavee, the company responsible for bus maintenance and repairs, to solve the problem.
The company said the accident happened due to rust on the brake discs after exposure to water, as the rainy season has started and many areas were flooded. The firm also claimed that it had changed the brake pads every 60,000km.
The BMTA has asked Cho Thavee to increase the frequency of inspection of engine systems and accessories to prevent a repeat of similar accidents.
