An accident involving a bus and a covered van transporting gas cylinders killed 13 people and injured 20 others in southwest Bangladesh on Friday night. The mishap happened when the vehicles had a head-on collision following which there were massive fire explosions.
According to reports, eyewitnesses said that a massive fire engulfed both the vehicles, on a highway connecting Dhaka and Khulna town in Faridpur district, and the gas cylinders rolled down from the van and exploded. The victims, including the bus driver, were charred beyond recognition and some of them were critically injured. "Thirteen people have died so far in the accident while nearly 20 people are being treated for injuries caused by the accident," said a police official, according to The Hindustan Times.
Police and fire brigade were immediately alerted about the accident and four fire-fighting units from Faridpur were rushed to the spot. Meanwhile, the cause of the accident still remains unknown and a probe has been ordered into the matter.
Road accidents are very common in Bangladesh and Xinhua news agency reported that the Asian country has the highest fatality rates for road accidents in the world. Shoddy highways and poorly maintained vehicles are rampant in the nation and the traffic department is maligned by the lack of proper administration.
