At least 16 people died on Wednesday in a pileup caused by a truck that collided with stationary cars on a highway in Venezuela, national fire department director Juan Gonzalez told AFP.
The accident occurred on the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho highway, which connects the capital Caracas with the east of the country. The truck collided with cars that were stopped at high speed due to a previous accident, resulting in no injuries.
The accident involved 17 vehicles, including a bus that burned completely, Deputy Minister of Risk Management and Civil Protection Carlos Pérez Ampueda previously told AFP.
Images posted on social media showed huge flames rising from the scene of the accident.
According to the fire director, the pileup has “so far” caused 16 deaths and six injured people are “in a precarious condition.” The total number of injured was not disclosed.
Asphalt resurfacing work was being carried out on the motorway, which delayed the arrival of emergency services.