Govt must keep public buses safe

Last Friday, a suspect surnamed Chen tried to set a bus on fire in Changsha, Hunan province, but failed, confessing he was unemployed and did so to "enjoy free meals behind bars". The incident happened just five days after the Hangzhou bus fire. On July 5, 32 passengers suffered burns and injuries when a suspect set fire to a bus in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

Just a few months ago, a public bus burst into flames, claiming six lives and leaving 35 injured in Guiyang, Guizhou province. These incidents have left people worried about public transport safety.

It is the responsibility of the government and bus operators to ensure the safety of passengers. And since passengers' safety is vital to the success and sustainability of any transport development strategy, the government and bus operators have to take all pre-emptive measures against bus fires.