Fourteen people have been killed and 30 others injured in a pile-up involving 23 vehicles on the main road into Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, after a truck lost control, overturned and caught fire.

The crash happened shortly before midnight on 11 November on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road at the entrance to the emirate, according to Fujairah Police. The UAE Ministry of Interior confirmed the toll on Thursday, describing the figures as preliminary.

Police said the truck driver lost control of his vehicle and first collided with another vehicle before overturning and striking several vehicles that had stopped or slowed because of traffic conditions. The truck then caught fire, and the flames spread to a number of other vehicles.

Emergency response at the scene

Police, ambulance, rescue and Civil Defence teams were sent to the scene, where firefighters tackled the blaze and paramedics gave first aid before taking the injured to hospital. In all, 18 cars and five trucks were involved in the pile-up.

Of the 30 people injured, 15 have been discharged from hospital, while the remaining 15 continue to receive treatment, police said. Those who died include Emirati nationals, while the identities of some of the other victims are still being established through DNA testing.

The injured include nationals of the UAE, Oman, India, Brazil, Pakistan, Jordan and Egypt. The Indian Consulate General in Dubai confirmed that Indian nationals were among those killed.

Three members of one family among the dead

Indian media reported that three of the dead were members of one family from Kerala: 21-year-old twins Muhammed Asmil and Misna Jubin, and their three-year-old nephew, Muhammed Fayis, natives of Vengara in Malappuram district. The family had been travelling back to Fujairah from Sharjah when the crash happened, according to the reports.

Reuters described the crash as one of the deadliest road accidents in the history of the United Arab Emirates. The full list of the dead has not been released, and police have urged the public not to circulate unverified claims about the victims, the casualty figures or their nationalities.

Investigation under way

Fujairah Police have launched an investigation to establish why the truck driver lost control. The cause has not yet been made public, and legal and technical procedures relating to the accident are continuing.

Police have also urged motorists to observe speed limits and maintain a safe distance, particularly when approaching congested or slow-moving traffic. The Ministry of Interior asked the public to rely on official sources and avoid sharing rumours or unverified information about the accident.

The crash happened on the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road, the main highway linking Dubai and Sharjah with Fujairah on the UAE's east coast, which cuts through the Hajar mountains. Virgin Radio Dubai also reported the toll and the police account of the crash.