At least 20 killed as truck topples onto van near Khairpur

Police say the truck was trying to overtake the van when it toppled and crushed the other vehicle

In a tragic incident, at least 20 people including women and children were killed Monday when a coal-laden truck toppled over and shed its load of coal onto a passenger van near Khairpur, police said. Five people were also injured in the accident.

According to officials, the van was en route to Sukkur from Khairpur when the incident took place near Theri bypass, due to fog. All the passengers in the van were labourers, said Express News.



However, a senior district police official Azfar Mahesar said the truck was trying to overtake the van when it toppled and crushed the other vehicle.

"The van (was) buried under the coal and at least 17 people including children and women died on the spot," he said.

Eight injured people were rushed to hospital but three subsequently died, according to Dr Ghulam Jafar. Several of the bodies were badly crushed by the coal and so far just 10 have been identified, he added.

In 2014, on Theri bypass, at least 59 people were killed while 18 others were injured when a passenger bus collided head-on with a goods truck near Khairpur. The passenger bus was en route to Karachi from Swat when the collision took place.