Three people were burned to death while 23 others were injured after a passenger bus they were riding caught fire shortly after colliding with a truck along the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway in Concepcion, Tarlac before midnight Tuesday.
Supt. Augusto Pasamonte, Chief of Police of Concepcion, Tarlac, said the three still-unidentified fatalities were passengers of the Five Star Bus that smashed into the Fuso Truck inside SCTEX in the vicinity of Barangay Sto. Nino town at about 11:50 p.m.
Initial investigation revealed that the bus bearing license plate UYD 493 was driven by Rolando Untalan, 50. The truck with license plate RHD 831 was piloted by Emmanuel Retardo, 46, along with helper Victor Ayen, 40.
In a radio interview, Pasamonte said the Five Star Bus was traversing northbound on SCTEX when it accidentally bumped the Fuso Truck on line 2 of the expressway, after coming out of the emergency lane.
Upon impact, the bus caught fire and rolled five meters into the creek beside the expressway.
The accident sparked panic among the passengers, as they hurriedly disembarked while the fire engulfed the bus.
However, it was reported that the dead passengers were not able to exit the burning bus.
The Five Star Bus was bound for Dagupan, Pangasinan from its terminal in Cubao, Quezon City when the accident occurred.
All of the injured victims have been identified, Pasamonte said. He said 23 of them were taken to three medical facilities: 10 to the Concepcion District Hospital, 11 to Sta. Rita and two to the Tarlac Provincial Hospital.
The drivers of both vehicles were brought to Dr. Eutiquio Atanacio Memorial Hospital in Concepcion town.