Overturned bus in northern Egypt catches fire, killing 8

CAIRO – Egypt’s official news agency says a bus carrying workers has burst into flames after it overturned west of the coastal city of Alexandria, killing at least eight people.

The state-run MENA, citing an unnamed Interior Ministry official, said Saturday that civil protection forces extinguished the fire which also wounded 22 others.

It’s not clear how many passengers were on board but officials said the bus is owned by a private porcelain company.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the accident took place as the bus driver was trying to avoid crashing into another vehicle, the official told MENA.

Road accidents are common in Egypt, often occurring due to badly maintained roads and poor enforcement of traffic laws. The country’s official statistics agency says 14,700 road accidents took place in 2016 alone.