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More Than 30 Children Killed in Colombian Bus Explosion

A bus burst into flames, killing at least 31 children, in northern Colombia. Police are now questioning the driver, who escaped unharmed.
Photo via Reuters

A bus fire in Colombia killed at least 32 people on Sunday, all but one of whom were children.

The vehicle burst into flames after the driver poured gasoline into a tank, accessed through the floor of the bus, in an attempt to start the faulty engine. The fire spread almost immediately, leaving the bus and most of its passengers charred beyond recognition. The bus reportedly had no emergency exits.

The crowded bus was traveling from a church event in the town of Fundacion in northern Colombia.

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Emergency response crews arrived to the scene shortly after the explosion and brought the bodies of many of the victims to the nearby town of Barranquilla to be identified using dental records. Eighteen people escaped and are now being treated in nearby hospitals.

Post by Victor Sierra Medina.

The bus was privately owned and according to local Colombian media, the driver did not have a license. The vehicle reportedly had also not gone through the proper inspection or had insurance. There was also unverified speculation that illegal gasoline had been used, and police are investigating the cause of the accident.

"There was a canister of gasoline inside the vehicle. The fire spread very fast," Major Eduardo Velez, the coordinator of the emergency response team, told Reuters.

The driver escaped unharmed and was taken into police custody shortly after the accident for questioning.

Post by Victor Sierra Medina.

Another tragic incident occurred in Colombia two years when a bus swerved off the road and killed 26 people. An estimated 5,000 people are killed in driving accidents in Colombia every year. This bus explosion is being described as one of Colombia's worst accidents in recent memory.

Colombia's president, Juan Manuel Santos, visited Fundacion on Sunday night. "This is a tragedy which shouldn't have happened," President Santos told the victims' families.

He also expressed his condolences on Twitter shortly after the accident. "Solidarity, prayer and support to their families," Santos wrote. "The country is in mourning."

Dolor inmenso de padre y colombiano ante tragedia de nuestros niños en Fundación. Solidaridad, oración y apoyo a sus familias.

— Juan Manuel Santos (@JuanManSantos)May 18, 2014

Follow Olivia Becker on Twitter: @obecker928