A severe collision on a northeastern Mexican highway between a passenger van and a semi-truck resulted in a minimum of 13 fatalities on Sunday, as reported by local authorities.

The catastrophic incident occurred on a roadway connecting the cities of Zaragoza and Hidalgo in the border state of Tamaulipas. Tamaulipas security officials confirmed the death toll in a statement, saying, “Civil protection authorities are responding, and so far they are reporting 13 people deceased.”

Pictures released by the authorities depict the passenger van in a state of near-total destruction from fire, with the semi-truck also suffering severe fire damage. An anonymous official from the prosecutor’s office suggested that the victim count may rise, as there is information suggesting that the truck driver’s family might have been traveling with him and could also have lost their lives. Initial reports also suggest that the driver might have escaped from the scene.

While the local media has speculated that the casualty number could surpass 20, first responders are currently still assessing the scene to gain a comprehensive understanding of the incident, according to the prosecutor’s office official. Local reports also suggest that the passengers in the van might have all been from the same family, who had rented the van to travel to Monterrey in Veracruz.

The frequency of road accidents in Mexico has seen an upsurge in recent years, often attributed to factors such as excessive speeds, poor vehicle maintenance, or driver fatigue. In response to this growing issue, various civil groups have called for more stringent regulations to reduce the number of casualties.