Tragedy and change

Post by **Fuzzy Ken** » October 15, 2024, 5:21 pm

Tragedy and change

The school bus fire in Bangkok on the 1st of October, reminded me of another avoidable tragedy, involving the deaths of many school children.

Almost exactly 58 years ago, the small mining village of Aberfan in South Wales, found itself the subject of international news when, at 9:13am on the 21st October 1966, Pantglas Junior School was crushed by a landslide of coal slurry. It was the last day at school before the half term holidays.

For fading memories, there is no shortage of information about this heart-rending event which took the lives of 144 people, including 116 children and teachers, on that truly terrible morning. Read this touching tribute at: https://aberfan.walesonline.co.uk/ which draws a parallel with the Bangkok fire, where teachers tried to protect their students.

As for the tragedy in Bangkok, I sincerely hope that before Thai memories fade and the matter is lost in the mists of time, that this time real progress is made to improve road safety in Thailand, with its disgraceful road accident carnage of some 20000 deaths annually. It is important to be aware that many deaths and serious injuries in Thailand’s road accidents, involve public transport from buses down to motorcycle taxis.

Watching the news as it unfolded, I shall always have the vision of the bus driver taking a fire extinguisher from another vehicle, did they not have one on board? Also, I would question why the emergency exit rear window of the bus, evidently, could not quickly be opened and maybe if it had been, just maybe, some lives could have been saved from the impending furnace.

How many times have we heard, worldwide, that emergency exits were blocked or simply locked, resulting in many deaths at such places as nightclubs, theaters and passenger service vehicles?

I’m sure that we all agree that this horrific loss of life, should not, and must not have been in vain.
Let us share our tears with the parents for their unbearable loss, and may all those that perished, forever rest in peace
Fuzzyken