Afghanistan: 73 Dead As Fuel Tanker Crashes In Ghazni Province

Ghazni: At least 73 people have been killed and dozens of others injured after two passenger buses and a fuel tanker burst into flames following a head-on collision in eastern Afghanistan.

Many of the dead, including children, were burned beyond recognition as a result of Sunday’s accident in Ghazni province, near the Afghan capital Kabul.

Jawid Salangi, a spokesman for the governor of Ghazni, said the two buses, carrying about 125 passengers from Kabul to Kandahar, collided with the tanker, setting off a fire that quickly engulfed all three vehicles.

Afghan army units went to the scene of the accident in Moqor district and managed to save some passengers, but many of the injured were in a critical condition.

The first passenger bus was speeding when it collided with the fuel tanker and both vehicles erupted in flames. The fire ignited a second bus nearby. Passengers on board both buses were killed or injured.

Mohammadullah Ahmadi, the director of the provincial traffic department, said the crash was caused by reckless driving, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Local residents helped fire fighters and first responders pull survivors from the wreckage. Traffic accidents are relatively commonplace in Afghanistan, with roads often poorly maintained.

Most of those who died in the crash were “completely burned”, health ministry spokesman Ismail Kawasi said.

Jawed Salangi, spokesman for the governor of eastern Ghazni province, told that he had seen documents showing that altogether there were 125 passengers travelling on the buses.  The collision happened at about 06:30 local time.