Sixteen Killed and Four Injured After Bus Crashes Head-On with Fuel Tanker

A devastating crash involving a passenger bus and a fuel tanker turned into a massive fireball on Indonesia’s Sumatra island, leaving 16 people dead and several others badly burned.

The horrifying accident happened Wednesday afternoon along the Trans-Sumatra Highway in South Sumatra.

According to the Indonesian National Police, the intercity bus was traveling through the region when it collided head-on with a fuel tanker truck coming from the opposite direction.

Authorities said the crash happened around 12:39 p.m. local time.

Police believe the bus may have swerved while attempting an emergency maneuver after reportedly trying to avoid another vehicle fire on the roadway.

The impact triggered a massive explosion and fire that quickly engulfed both vehicles.

Officials confirmed that 16 people were killed in the inferno, including 14 bus passengers, the tanker truck driver, and a crew member.

Several victims were reportedly trapped inside the burning vehicles and were unable to escape as flames tore through the wreckage.

Emergency responders spent hours battling the blaze and searching through the charred remains.

Shocking images from the scene showed firefighters spraying down the burned-out shell of the bus while debris and melted metal littered the highway.

Authorities said four people survived the crash.

Three survivors suffered severe burns, while another person escaped with minor injuries.

All four injured victims were rushed to a nearby health clinic for treatment.

According to local officials, there were approximately 20 passengers on board the bus at the time of the crash.

Reports indicate the tanker truck was carrying diesel fuel when the collision occurred, which likely intensified the fire and made rescue efforts even more difficult.

Rescue crews reportedly struggled to recover victims because some passengers were trapped inside the destroyed vehicles.

Investigators are continuing to look into the exact cause of the deadly collision.