19 people were killed when a fuel tank caught fire inside a tunnel in Afghanistan

Nineteen people were killed and dozens injured when a fuel tank collapsed and caught fire inside a tunnel in eastern Afghanistan, officials said Sunday.

The accident occurred late Saturday in Parwan province, north of Kabul, leaving travelers stranded on both sides of the mountain pass.

Hekmatullah Shamim, spokesman for the Parwan governor, told reporters that at least 19 people were killed and 32 injured in the accident.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works, Hamidullah Mesbah, told AFP earlier, "Saturday night, a fuel truck overturned and caught fire in the Salang Tunnel, and the fire spread to several other cars."

Among the dead were "many women and children who suffered serious burns," said Abdullah Afghan Mal, a senior official in charge of health affairs in Parwan province, but said it was difficult to give additional details due to the condition of the bodies.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news