The Ministry of the Interior’s National Fire Agency said the crash occurred just before 1 p.m. local time on Tuesday on the No. 2 National Freeway that serves the capital Taipei’s airport.
The bus was westbound on the highway and headed for the airport, where the tour group was due to fly back home after seven days in the country.
It added that 24 of those on board were visitors from China’s Liaoning province. The others killed were the driver and a tour guide, both Taiwanese.
“The fire moved very fast. All 26 died,” Lu Jui-yao, an official with the National Highway Police Bureau told Reuters.
Photos from the scene showed flames and thick black smoke pouring from the cab of the bus shortly after the crash.
BREAKING: Tour bus catches fire near Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, cause unknown, casualties confirmed pic.twitter.com/OoED0zwmTM
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) July 19, 2016
The Taoyuan City fire department deployed 23 vehicles and 60 firefighters to join the firefighting and rescue operation. After extinguishing the fire, the crew reported finding a number of burned bodies.
