A passenger bus collided head-onwith a fuel tanker lorry on Indonesia's Sumatra island, killing at least 16 people and injuring four others, officials said.
The horrific crashoccurred on Wednesday, May 6, at around midday on the Trans-Sumatra Highway in North Musi Rawas regency of South Sumatra province. The intercity bus was carrying at least 20 people when it struck atanker lorrytravelling in the opposite direction, said Mugono, a local disaster management agency official.
Mugono, who uses a single name like many Indonesians, said preliminary findings suggest the bus — which was travelling from South Sumatra's Lubuklinggau city to Jambi — may have emitted sparks shortly before the collision.
This may have prompted the driver to steer the vehicle towards the right side of the road in an attempt to prevent a more serious incident. However, an oil tanker lorry was approaching at high speed, leaving little time to avoid a direct impact.
The forceful impact triggered a fire that engulfed both vehicles, leaving many victims trapped inside," Mugono said.
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The dead include the bus driver and 13 passengers as well as the tanker's driver and assistant, all of whom burned to death inside the vehicles, Mugono said.
Four bus passengers survived the crash and were taken to a nearby health clinic, including three who suffered severe burn injuries and one who sustained minor injuries, Mugono said.
As the passenger manifest is still being traced, Mugono said authorities are continuing to gather data on the full death toll.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
