Mechanical problems triggered a fire aboard a bus in Panama's capital, killing 18 people, injuring 25 and sending passengers jumping from the flaming vehicle, police said, according to AP. Investigators using trained dogs found no evidence of explosives on the city bus and believed some form of fuel leak was to blame for Monday's blaze. The bus lacked an emergency exit. «We found absolutely no trace of the presence of explosives,» said Jaime Jacome, director of Panama City's Technical Judicial Police. «What there was a lot of gasoline.» Witnesses said they saw smoke pouring from the area around the motor seconds before the bus caught fire. Authorities were checking the charred remains of the motor and bus for clues. Many passengers were seen scrambling to get off before flames engulfed the bus. At least 25 people managed to escape but all were hospitalized with severe burns. Firefighter Cecilio Lasso said four of the 18 killed were children. The fire occurred in the Bellavista section of downtown Panama City. The remains of those killed were originally laid out on a crowded street, but eventually removed by emergency crews.
