Suspected bus arsonist kills 14 in northern China

BEIJING

Authorities are on the hunt for a suspected arsonist who set a bus ablaze in north China on Tuesday killing 14 people and injuring over 30 others.

State news agency Xinhua reported that the bus was traveling from north to south in the country's northwest Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region's Helan County when it caught fire at 7 a.m. (0100GMT).

Xinhua quoted passenger Hu Yuexiang as saying that he was sitting at the front of the bus when suddenly people started screaming "Fire! Bus on Fire!"

"When I turned around, the flames were racing toward me very quickly and before I knew it my shoes were on fire... I thought the bus was about to explode, and I was going to die," the 26-year-old said

"Then the door opened and we all rushed out."

Outside of the dead, 32 people were injured and rushed to hospital, eight of whom are reported to be severely burnt.

Xinhua reported Ningxia public security department as attempting to locate a Ma Yongping, the suspected arsonist.