Bus fire survivor in China recalls horrible experience

A survivor of the bus fire that killed at least 35 passengers recalled the horrible scenes in an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in central China’s Hunan province on Sunday.

A fire that reduced a tour bus to a charred frame on Sunday morning has killed at least 35 people, including two children, in Hunan, local authorities said.

The bus was carrying 55 people, the county government of Yizhang said.

The accident happened at about 10:20, when the bus crashed into the guardrail at a Yizhang section of the Yizhang (Hunan) – Fengtouling (Guangdong) expressway. The ensuing oil leak caused the fire, according to the government sources.

“I just heard a bang and then the bus changed its lanes to and fro. The driver failed to bring the bus to a stop at first, then the bus stopped after about 100 meters’ drag,” said Zi Xiaoping, a female survivor from the accident.

She said the deformed door hindered people from escaping from the bus.

“When the bus stopped, the passengers started panicking. Heavy smoke gushed out of the bus. The bus’s door failed to open. I figure the door cannot open as it was twisted by the crash. A window was burst open, and the driver escaped from the window. There was total mess in the bus, screams and cries could be heard. People bumped into one another, all tried to escape from that narrow window. When the fire got bigger, no more people could escape from the window after nine passengers succeeded in doing so,” said Zi.

“The fire went fierce later. A young highway maintenance worker, he is really great, risked his life and break the rear glass. He managed to save six passengers. He is really terrific,” said Zi.