Short-circuit blamed for catastrophic tour bus fire

Passengers trapped because emergency exit door was locked, investigation finds

A preliminary investigation shows that the fire that engulfed a tour bus in Taiwan was caused by electrical short-circuits near the driver's seat, prosecutors in the island's Taoyuan district said.

According to local media, an initial autopsy showed that the driver's respiratory tract was burned, a sign that he possibly inhaled high temperature smoke. The prosecutors said the driver was possibly poisoned by carbon monoxide and became unconscious, losing control of the bus.