KIDAPAWAN CITY — Authorities are still verifying the 13 fatalities in a vehicular accident involving a passenger van that collided with a dump truck along the National Highway in Barangay Luhong, Antipas, around 12:15 p.m. in North Cotabato on March 25, 2024.

According to Colonel Gilberto Tuzon, the Cotabato Police Provincial Director, the van, packed with passengers, was en route from Arakan, North Cotabato, to Kidapawan City when it was struck by a dump truck carrying sand. The collision ignited a blaze, resulting in severe burns for those aboard the van.

Fatalities were scattered along the roadside where the van was dragged, with harrowing images shared on social media showing passengers attempting to escape through windows.

Several social media posts depicted passengers attempting to escape by climbing out through the van's windows. Reports indicate that two individuals survived: a child ejected during the accident and a former female barangay captain.

Following the collision, the truck behind the van also caught fire, injuring the driver and helper, who managed to exit swiftly. Investigations reveal that the truck lost its brakes, leading to the collision. EEF