Dubai: A truck lost control and struck several vehicles on a road in the United Arab Emirates, killing 14 people and injuring 30 others, the interior ministry said on Thursday.
The incident occurred on a street at the entrance to the emirate of Fujairah.
“A truck driver lost control of the vehicle while travelling on the road, causing it to collide with another vehicle, then overturn and strike a number of vehicles that were stopped because of slow-moving traffic on the street,” an interior ministry statement read, saying the incident occurred around midnight.
The impact caused “the truck to catch fire and the blaze to spread to several other vehicles, resulting in a heavy loss of life”, it added.
Emergency services including police, ambulances and civil defence teams raced to the scene. Half of the injured were later discharged from hospital, while the rest were still receiving treatment.
Authorities were using DNA tests to identify those killed, according to the ministry.
The Indian consulate in Dubai said its citizens were among the dead.
“The Consulate has reached out to the bereaved families and is closely working with local authorities to provide all possible assistance and support,” it said in a statement posted online.
