XIAMEN - Initial investigation shows the fatal fire that has claimed 47 lives and hospitalized 34 in east China's Fujian Province is a "serious criminal case", local government said on Saturday morning.

A BRT (bus rapid transit) bus caught fire near the Jinshan bus stop in the city of Xiamen at about 6:20 p.m. Friday, said an official from the municipal government.

The police investigation shows that the tyres and oil tank of the bus remained complete. Also the combustion improver was testified as gasoline while the bus is equipped with diesel engine, all suggested that the cause could eliminate safety accident.

The government official said the case is previously identified of a serious criminal case and further investigation is under way.

The State Council, China's cabinet, has sent a work team led by State Councilor and Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun to Xiamen on Friday evening to oversee the investigation of the fire.

The work team has cooperated with provincial government in forming medical plans in carrying out all-out efforts in treatment.

【新聞快訊】

6月7日18時(shí)20分許，福建省廈門市湖里區(qū)金山街道一輛BRT公交車（快速公交車）在行駛過程中突然起火。18時(shí)45分，火被撲滅。據(jù)初步勘查，大火已造成47人死亡、34人受傷。據(jù)悉，事發(fā)地點(diǎn)位于蔡塘站往金山站之間，事故車號(hào)為閩D-Y7396。

快速公交是廈門市公交的主力軍，人流量大，尤其是上下班高峰時(shí)間，都是人滿為患。當(dāng)時(shí)正值下班高峰期，公交車上擠滿了下班的人，現(xiàn)場目擊者估計(jì)有百人。有目擊者說，當(dāng)時(shí)突然看到有黑煙冒起，煙很大，車上人員緊急逃生。火燒了約10分鐘后，車輛發(fā)生爆炸。

【滬江科普】什么是BRT？

BRT：快速公交系統(tǒng)（Bus Rapid Transit），是一種介于快速軌道交通RRT（Rapid Rail Transit）與常規(guī)公交NBT（Normal Bus Transit）之間的新型公共客運(yùn)系統(tǒng)，是一種大運(yùn)量交通方式，通常也被人稱作“地面上的地鐵系統(tǒng)”。