29 killed when bus loses brakes, catches fire on mountain road in central Thailand

A long-distance passenger bus caught fire and careened out of control down a mountain road in central Thailand on Tuesday after its brakes failed, killing 29 people and injuring more than 10 others, police said.

The bus, which was traveling from northeastern Thailand to Bangkok, had earlier made a stop to fix its brakes, according to an initial police investigation.

"The front wheels of the bus burst into flames and the driver lost control of the brakes, and then the engine caught fire," police Lt. Samran Soreekun said. He said the fire spread through the bus as it plowed down the road out of control in the central province of Saraburi, reports AP.

Samran said the victims could not immediately be identified because of severe burns. Some passengers who were able to jump out of the bus survived, but the exact number was unclear, he said.