3 dead, 1 injured in truck crash in Changwon

CHANGWON, South Korea, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Three people were killed and another injured Thursday after a truck carrying crude oil drums rammed into their cars and caught fire on a highway in Changwon, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul, firefighters said. The accident occurred at around 1:20 p.m. on the road leading to the Changwon Tunnel in South Gyeongsang Province. The 2.5-ton truck crossed over the center line and hit the median strip, according to the authorities and witnesses. It crashed into the vehicles on the opposite side of the road and tens of fuel drums fell off the truck and exploded. The fire quickly spread to engulf nine other vehicles in flames, they said. The firefighters confirmed three people were killed and one person was wounded. They corrected an earlier statement that a baby was among the victims. There was no infant fatality, they said. They said it would take time to identify the victims because their bodies were severely damaged. The fire was brought under control within an hour. The authorities said a flaw in the truck's brakes may have caused the accident, as witnesses told them they saw the vehicle zigzagging on the road. They are investigating to figure out the exact cause of the crash. elly@yna.co.kr (END)