Authorities in northern Mexico reported Saturday that a fiery crash between a tanker truck Carrying fuel and a passenger bus killed at least 18 people.
Tamaulipas, Mexico’s northern border state, prosecutors suspect the collision was caused by one of the truck’s two tank trailers falling away.
The crash completely damaged both automobiles. According to police images, the bus was reduced to a tangle of burning, charred metal.
Tamaulipas state police initially discovered nine sets of remains, but prosecutors said nine more had been recovered by early afternoon. They predicted that the death toll would rise.
The accident happened early in the morning on a highway leading to the northern city of Monterrey.
The driver of the gasoline tanker presumably survived and is being investigated. The bus had allegedly left the central state of Hidalgo and was on its way to Monterrey.
The semi-truck was pulling two tank trailers in tandem. In the past, such double-container freight vehicles have been engaged in several fatal accidents.
Because weight regulations and safety checks in Mexico are low, there have been requests in the past to outlaw extraordinarily large and ungainly vehicles.
According to state prosecutors, “the collision may have occurred because one of the gasoline tanks fell free.”
