Photo taken by mobile phone on June 7, 2013 shows the debris of a bus on an elevated track in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua)
An initial investigation showed the fatal bus fire that has claimed 47 lives and hospitalized 34 in east China's Fujian Province was suspected to be a "serious criminal case", local government said on Saturday morning.
The investigation by experts and police showed the tyres and oil tank of the bus, which caught fire at about 6:20 p.m. Friday, remained complete. The combustion improver was gasoline while the bus was equipped with diesel engine.
A government official said the case was initially identified as a "serious criminal case" and further investigation is under way.
A working team led by State Councilor and Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun arrived in Xiamen at around 1 a.m. Saturday.
After inspecting the scene and comforting the injured in hospitals, Guo demanded experienced medical staff to race against time to rescue the injured and ensure all the injured receive best and timely treatment.
Guo ordered a thorough inspection on the scene and find out the truth behind the accident.
The Public Security Ministry has urged local police departments to take rapid and effective measures to carry out a safety overhaul and ensure overall social stability.
The ministry also demanded police to ensure the ongoing national college entrance exams, which started on Friday and will end on Sunday with more than nine million examinees.
The BRT bus line in Xiamen resumed operation on Saturday morning, with a strict safety check on passengers' luggage by bus station staff.
On June 5,2009, a bus in Chengdu, capital of southwestern Sichuan Province, was set ablaze by an unemployed man with gasoline, killing 28 people and injured more than 70.
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