On the evening of June 7, 2013, at 18:22, on a BRT bus rapid transit lane in Xiamen, Fujian Province, a bus suddenly burst into flames. In just over ten minutes, the fire engulfed the entire bus, causing a tragic toll of 47 deaths and 34 injuries. Among the 47 dead were 8 students who were due to sit the college entrance examination the next day.

Xiamen BRT Line 1 runs from Jimei District outside Xiamen Island to the First Pier inside the island. At the time of the accident, it was the evening rush hour, and the bus, with a capacity of 95, was carrying 89 people.

Just 300 meters after the bus passed Jinshan Station, the carriage was shrouded in a sudden burst of white smoke, followed by a rapidly spreading flame. A man in a white shirt was quickly engulfed by the fire.

People on the bus began shouting for the driver to stop. The driver sensed something was wrong and quickly opened the doors. Passengers began evacuating, and some chose to escape by jumping out of the windows.

One passenger who successfully escaped recalled that at Jinshan Station he had smelled a very obvious gasoline odor, … Read More