Nineteen schoolchildren have been killed after their minibus collided head-on with a truck in South Africa.

The minibus exploded into a fireball and ended up lying on its side.

The bus driver also died while the driver of the truck survived.

A number of children, who were found trapped inside the vehicle by paramedics after the flames were put out, were declared dead at the scene.

Several other pupils were hurt - some were reportedly dragged from the wreckage by passers-by.

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Their injuries ranged from minor to critical.

Image: The aftermath of the deadly crash. Pic: ER24EMS

The tragedy happened on a road between the towns of Bronkhorstspruit and Verena, 45 miles from the capital Pretoria, in Mpumalanga province.

Mpumalanga police spokesman Gerald Sedibe said: "The (minibus) was transporting learners from school and it collided with the truck and caught fire."

Spokesman for the ER24 emergency medical service, Russel Meiring, said: "It is confirmed 20 children have been killed."

He added: "Paramedics arrived on the scene to find the fire services already in attendance.

"The fire services had already extinguished the burning vehicle, which was found lying on its side."

The cause of the crash is not yet known.

South Africa has a poor road safety record.

Road deaths rose to 235 during this year's Easter weekend compared with 156 fatalities last year.</s>At least 20 school children have been killed in a car crash in South Africa's Mpumalanga Province say emergency services.

The children were believed to be travelling in a minibus when it crashed into a truck and exploded into a ball of fire.

It is thought that all the children on board the minibus - and the driver - lost their lives when it collided head-on with the truck.

According to South African news channel, eNCA.com, the incident occurred on the R25 between Verena and Bronkhorstpruit.

Reports suggest the minibus burst into flames with the children inside.

The death toll was originally estimated at 17 schoolchildren, but has already risen to 20 confirmed fatalities.

Russel Meiring, ER24 spokesman, added that fire services managed to extinguish the flames after finding the vehicle lying on its side.

He added: "Unfortunately, nothing could be done for the children and they were declared dead on the scene."

Mpumalanga police spokesman Gerald Sedibe said: "The (minibus) was transporting learners from school and it collided with the truck and caught fire."

The truck driver is believed to have survived the crash.

The cause of the collision is not yet known.</s>JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Emergency responders say at least 20 children have been killed when their minibus collided with a truck northeast of South Africa’s capital.

Images posted by the ER24 medical service on Twitter show the minibus smoking and twisted on its side next to the truck.

ER24 says responders found about 13 children trapped inside the vehicle after its flames were put out. The other children were found outside the minibus.

The emergency service says the cause of the crash is not yet known. It occurred between the communities of Verena and Bronkhorstpruit.</s>A driver and 19 school children were killed in South Africa when the minibus they were travelling in collided with a truck and exploded in a ball of fire in Mpumalanga province, emergency services said on Friday.

The vehicle was ferrying children from school when it collided with the truck between the towns of Verena and Bronkhorstpruit, northeast of the capital Pretoria, Russel Meiring, ER24 spokesman said.

Several children were injured, he said.

The dead children lay trapped inside the burnt out shell of the vehicle that stood on its side, he said.

It was not clear what caused the collision, police said.

"The (minibus) was transporting learners from school and it collided with the truck and caught fire," Mpumalanga police spokesman Gerald Sedibe said. He said the minibus driver was killed, while the truck driver survived.

Even though it is Africa's most industrialised economy with a modern road network, South Africa has a dire road safety record. Road deaths rose to 235 during this year's Easter weekend compared with 156 fatalities last year, transport officials said earlier on Friday.</s>Emergency responders said Friday that at least 20 children were killed when a minibus in which they were riding collided with a truck northeast of South Africa's capital.

Images posted by the ER24 medical service on Twitter showed the minibus smoking and twisted on its side next to the truck.

ER24 said responders found about 13 children trapped inside the vehicle after its flames were put out. The other children were found outside the minibus.

The emergency service said the cause of the crash is not yet known. It occurred between the communities of Verena and Bronkhorstpruit.

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Defense Secretary Mattis: 'No doubt' Syria still has chemical weapons</s>A minibus carrying young students collided with a truck and burst into flames in South Africa on Friday, killing about 20 children. The victims were between 5 and 10 years old, said Russel Meiring, a spokesman for paramedic company ER24.

Start the conversation, or Read more at National Post.</s>JOHANNESBURG — A minibus carrying young students collided with a truck and burst into flames in South Africa on Friday, killing about 20 children.

The victims were between 5 and 10 years old, said Russel Meiring, a spokesman for paramedic company ER24. He said several children survived after being pulled from the wreckage near Bronkhorstspruit, east of the capital, Pretoria.

Images posted by ER24 on Twitter show the crumpled, smoking minibus on its side next to the truck.

Authorities were investigating the cause of the crash. “We are trying to find out exactly what happened,” Meiring said.

Some students who were trapped in the minibus were burned beyond recognition, the News24 website reported. It quoted Johan Pieterse, spokesman for the EMS paramedic company.

Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi expressed condolences to the families of the dead. In an interview with the eNCA news outlet, he said many accidents occur because of reckless driving and that increasing the police presence on the roads would have limited results.

“If human behaviour doesn’t change, there isn’t much that police can do,” he said.

A total of 235 people died in accidents on South Africa’s roads during the recent Easter period, a 51 per cent increase over the same period last year, according to the country’s Road Traffic Management Corporation.</s>At least 18 schoolchildren were killed when a minibus and a truck collided north of the South African capital of Pretoria on Friday, emergency services authorities said.

The driver of the minibus was also killed, emergency services spokesman Russel Meiring told CNN.

Medical personnel treated several children at the scene.

The minibus burst into flames after the collision. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Check back for updates on this developing story.</s>About 20 children were killed when the minibus in which they were travelling collided with a truck and burst into flames near the South African capital Pretoria.

Emergency crews at the scene said the victims were aged between five and 10. Russel Meiring, a spokesman for paramedic company ER24, said several children survived after being pulled from the wreckage near Bronkhorstspruit, east of Pretoria.

Images posted by ER24 on Twitter showed the crumpled, smoking minibus on its side next to the truck. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.

Transport minister Joe Maswanganyi expressed condolences with the families of the dead.

In an interview with the eNCA news outlet, he said many road incidents ni South Africa occurred because of reckless driving and that increasing the police presence on the roads would have limited results.

“If human behaviour doesn’t change, there isn’t much that police can do,” he said.

A total of 235 people died in incidents on South Africa’s roads during the recent Easter period, a 51 per cent increase over the same period last year.</s>JOHANNESBURG—A minibus carrying young students collided with a truck and burst into flames in South Africa on Friday, killing about 20 children.

The victims were between 5 and 10 years old, said Russel Meiring, a spokesman for paramedic company ER24. He said several children survived after being pulled from the wreckage near Bronkhorstspruit, east of the capital, Pretoria.

Images posted by ER24 on Twitter show the crumpled, smoking minibus on its side next to the truck.

Authorities were investigating the cause of the crash. "We are trying to find out exactly what happened," Meiring said.

Some students who were trapped in the minibus were burned beyond recognition, the News24 website reported. It quoted Johan Pieterse, spokesman for the EMS paramedic company.
At least 20 schoolchildren are killed after their minibus collides with a truck in Mpumalanga, South Africa.