1st LD Writethru: Dozens killed, injured in 3-vehicle accident in E. Afghanistan: multiple sources

The death toll of a road accident in Afghanistan's eastern Ghazni province has risen to 73, spokesman of Ministry of Public Health said Sunday.

"A total of 73 people were killed and several others wounded after two buses and an oil truck collided in Ghazni on Sunday morning," spokesman Ismahil Qawoosi told Xinhua.

The accident took place along Kabul-Kandahar highway in Laram locality of Muqur district at around 06:30 a.m. local time.

The crash caused the vehicles to catch fire in the province with Ghazni city as its capital, 125 km south of Afghan capital of Kabul.

The wounded, suffering from fractures and severe burns, were transferred to different hospitals.

"Some 13 of the wounded were shifted to a hospital in southern Kandahar province and several others were transported to Ghazni city and Kabul," according to Qawoosi.

"So far, we have no more details, but we will try to get more information. The number of the killed and the injured people may rise," he said.

Local officials said that the overloaded buses were carrying more than 120 people.

However, provincial governor spokesman, Jawid Salangi, told Xinhua earlier that 52 people lost their lives and 73 others injured.

The Afghan army personnel and police units arrived at the site shortly after the crash.

About 15 of the wounded who were in critical conditions were shifted to Kabul by army vehicles and ambulances, Salangi said, adding six women and three children were among the injured.

The provincial police chief Aminullah Amarkhel put the number of the killed at 14 and 70 others wounded in the accident.

The two buses were travelling from Afghan capital of Kabul to southern Kandahar province.

Reckless driving might be the reason for the deadly accident and an investigation into the accident is underway, according to local officials. Enditem