1st LD Writethru: 18 killed as truck overturns in central Mexico

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 people have been killed after a truck overturned in the central Mexican state of Puebla, the police said on Monday.

The accident occurred on Sunday at 4:15 p.m. local time, along a mountain road in municipality of Tepango de Rodriguez in the north of the state, showed an official report released by Puebla's public security authorities.

Nine men and nine women were killed, most of whom were travelling in the cargo section of the truck.

Local authorities told Xinhua that the victims lived in the village of Casco Chueco and were returning home after delivering a religious image to a neighboring community.

A preliminary police report found that the vehicle seemed to have a brake failure, which caused it to crash and roll over, adding that the death toll could rise to 19 as one victim was in critical condition in hospital.

Prosecutors have opened an inquiry into the cause of the accident. Enditem