2018 Kazakhstan bus fire

On 18 January 2018, a bus caught fire on the Samara–Shymkent road in Yrgyz District, Aktobe, Kazakhstan.[1] The fire killed 52 passengers, with five persons escaping including the drivers.[2][3][4]

January 2018 Kazakhstan bus fire
2018 Kazakhstan bus fire is located in Kazakhstan
2018 Kazakhstan bus fire
Approximate location[1]
Details
Date18 January 2018
LocationYrgyz District, Aktobe Region, Kazakhstan
Statistics
Passengers57
Deaths52
Injured5

Events

The fire occurred at around 10:30 AM (UTC+5:00) as the bus was transporting Uzbek migrant workers to Kazan in Russia.[5][6][1] All the deceased were Uzbeks; the survivors were Uzbek passengers and the Kazakh drivers.[2][5] A side door was reportedly blocked, preventing exit from the vehicle.[2]

Uzbekistan dispatched both Foreign and Emergencies Ministry personnel to the scene,[7] and announced that they would repatriate the bodies of the deceased[8] with DNA testing used for identification.[9]

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev sent a telegram of condolence to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.[5] Condolences were also expressed by the presidents of Tajikistan,[10] Georgia,[11] Azerbaijan,[12] Belarus[13] and Turkmenistan[14] and King Abdullah II of Jordan.[15]

Investigations

Later on the day of the fire, the Kazakh Ministry for Investments and Development stated the bus was a 29-year-old Setra S216 HDS with an expired technical safety certificate and no license to transport passengers but declined to comment on the immediate cause.[5] The regional Emergency Situations Department stated that an electrical malfunction was being treated as an initial theory.[2]

Both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan launched investigations into the incident. A special Uzbek commission was created by Mirziyoev to be headed by Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov with an initial focus on potential traffic rule violations.[2] A special criminal investigation was set up by the Kazakh authorities.[2]

An artist's rendition of the aftermath of the inferno

On 19 January, investigators released a statement based upon the testimony of the survivors, which stated that an open flame cooker used as a heating device was considered the likely source of the ignition, as the bus itself did not have a functional heater.[16] The bus was carrying gasoline containers due to the absence of refueling stations on the long and remote road, one of which was reportedly knocked over near the open flame resulting in the blaze.[16]

A preliminary list of victims released by Uzbekistan’s Emergency Situations Ministry released on 19 January listed 29 identified casualties as well as the two Uzbek survivors, all of whom were men from the Namangan Region.[16]

On 25 January the drivers were detained by the Kazakh authorities.[17]

See also

References
  1. "Bus inferno in Kazakhstan kills 52". BBC News. 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  2. "Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Open Investigations Of Bus Inferno That Killed 52". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  3. Gigova, Radina. "52 killed in Kazakhstan bus fire". CNN. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  4. Drewett, Zoe (18 January 2018). "52 people killed when bus bursts into flames on motorway". Metro. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  5. "52 Uzbeks killed in Kazakhstan bus inferno". AFP.com. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  6. "Bus fire in Kazakhstan kills 52 people". the Guardian. Reuters. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  7. "Bus fire kills 52 Uzbeks traveling in Kazakhstan: Kazakh government". Reuters. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  8. "Uzbekistan to render assistance to families of bus fire victims—Ministry of Emergency Situations". akipress.com. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  9. "DNA test needed to identify several bodies of bus fire victims in Uzbekistan — Consul of Uzbekistan in Almaty". akipress.com. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  10. "Rahmon expresses condolences to Mirziyoyev over bus fire killing dozens of Uzbeks". akipress.com. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  11. "Georgia saddened by deadly bus fire in Kazakhstan". agenda.ge. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  12. "Azerbaijani president offers condolences to Uzbek counterpart". APA Information Agency, APA. 19 January 2018. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  13. "Lukashenko expresses condolences over bus fire victims in Kazakhstan". 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  14. Hasanov, Huseyn (19 January 2018). "Turkmen head extends condolences to Uzbek president". Trend.Az. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  15. "King condoles Kazakh president over victims of bus fire". Petra. 18 January 2018. Archived from the original on 18 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  16. "'Gas Cooker' Blamed For Deadly Bus Fire In Kazakhstan". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  17. "Drivers Of Bus In Which 52 Uzbeks Died In Fire Detained". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2018.

49°13′54″N 60°43′30″E

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