20 children killed in a bus collision in South Africa

A mini bus collided with a truck 45 miles from Pretoria.

What you need to know:

Media quoted emergency services and other officials as saying many children died in the fire which erupted after the collision.

Some official described the accident to have painted a "dark day".

20 children killed in a bus collision in South Africa

 

About 20 school children have been killed when a min bus in which they were traveling in collided with a truck near Pretoria, in South Africa.

Media quoted emergency services and other officials as saying many children died in the fire which erupted after the collision.

Some official described the accident to have painted a "dark day".

The cause of the collision is yet to be established but pictures published by some media outlets show charred remains of the min bus.

Fortunately, some children were pulled from the burning car by people who rushed to assist who were joined by firefighters after few minutes.

But some 13 children could not be rescued as they were trapped in the burning bus. They died on the spot.

Later the death toll increased to 20 after some of the those who were rescued died after succumbing to the injuries they sustained in the accident.