Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Q.R. — A fiery early morning crash between a passenger van and semi has left at least eight dead. Eight people inside the passenger van were confirmed killed after becoming trapped when the vehicle burst into flames. There are also reports of six injured.
Several of the deceased, so far three, are reported to be minors. The accident happened around 4:00 a.m. along a section of federal highway outside Felipe Carrillo Puerto when the van and semi collided head on.
National Guard Highways were part of the responding emergency team that arrived to a fully engulfed transport van. The combi had left the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto bound for the city of Chetumal when the accident happened. At least 14 people were reported inside the van when it collided with the semi.
In a message early Monday morning, State Civil Protection (Coordinación Estatal de Protección Civil Quintana Roo) reported “the Quintana Roo State Civil Protection Coordination reports that due to a vehicular accident in the Chetumal-Felipe Carrillo Puerto section at the junction of the community of X-hazil Sur, the federal highway is temporarily closed.
“Unfortunately in this accident there was a loss of human life, so the authorities are working to remove the bodies. Meanwhile, the injured are being transferred to various hospitals for medical attention.
“At this time, personnel from the Q.Roo Citizen Security Secretariat, National Guard, Civil Protection, Firefighters and the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Quintana Roo are working in the area.”
The accident happened approximately 10 minutes south of the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. The highway was completely shut for nearly seven hours while emergency services dealt with the fire and the injured and police investigated afterward. The highway was finally reopened to traffic late Monday morning.
An investigation into the exact cause of the crash continues. Due to the severity of the accident, fatality figures are likely to rise.
