FUJAIRAH, United Arab Emirates — Fourteen people died and 30 were injured when a truck hit vehicles caught in traffic, overturned and caught fire near Fujairah’s entrance, police said Thursday.
The truck driver lost control on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road shortly before midnight, according to the police statement carried by Emirates News Agency. It struck one vehicle first, then rolled over and hit several more that had slowed or come to a stop in the traffic.
Fire then spread from the truck to other vehicles, police said.
In the police update issued Nov. 12, 15 of the injured had already been discharged from hospital. Another 15 were still being treated.
Some victims still being identified
Emiratis were among those killed. Authorities were conducting DNA tests to establish the identities of some other victims, police said. The injured included citizens of the UAE, Oman, India, Brazil, Pakistan, Jordan and Egypt.
Police and Civil Defense crews worked with ambulance and rescue teams to extinguish the fire and get the injured to hospitals. Officers also secured the road and managed traffic.
The UAE Ministry of Interior, which released an earlier account, initially described the death and injury totals as preliminary. Its teams were still at the scene, the ministry said, finishing field work and trying to establish how the crash happened, while the agencies involved coordinated medical help for the injured.
Both the ministry and the police offered condolences to the bereaved families and wished those hurt a quick recovery. Police commended the emergency and medical teams for their response.
Qatar expresses solidarity
Qatar offered its condolences Friday. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement dated Nov. 13, expressed solidarity with the UAE and sympathy for the victims’ families, the government and the people. It also wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Fujairah Police urged drivers to obey speed limits and keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, particularly on the approach to slow or stationary traffic. People should rely only on official sources, the agency said, and not pass on rumors or unverified reports.
The legal and technical procedures arising from the crash were still under way, police said.