32 children die in Colombia bus fire

At least 32 children were burnt to death Sunday when their bus caught fire in Colombia, authorities said.

The incident took place near the town of Fundacion in Magdalena department.

Magdalena police chief Adan Leon said that 18 people were rescued, but they suffered various injuries. They were being treated at nearby hospitals, BBC reported.

The fire broke out when they were returning from an event at an evangelical Christian church near the city of Fundacion, 750 km north of Bogota.

It is not known how the fire started, but local media said the bus may have been used for smuggling petrol, Leon said.

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos expressed his condolences on his Twitter account and said he would visit the city soon.- IANS