Truck fire triggers 23-vehicle pileup in UAE, killing 14

The crash unfolded just before midnight at the entrance to Fujairah, the eastern emirate, when a truck collided with another vehicle and overturned in slow-moving traffic. The UAE interior ministry said 23 vehicles were caught up in the pileup, five of them trucks. The truck burst into flames and the fire spread to several other vehicles, which the ministry described as causing a heavy loss of life.

Fourteen people died and 30 were taken to hospital, according to Fujairah Police. Half of the injured have since been discharged after treatment, while the rest remain in medical care. Police said DNA tests are being used to identify the bodies of the victims, some of whom were Emirati nationals.

The Indian consulate in the UAE said Indian citizens were among the dead, and that it has contacted bereaved families and is working with local authorities to provide assistance and support. Authorities listed the nationalities involved as Emirati, Omani, Indian, Brazilian, Pakistani, Jordanian and Egyptian.

Police, paramedics and civil defence teams rushed to the scene to put out the fire, move the injured to hospitals and secure the area, where specialist teams remain on site. The interior ministry and Fujairah Police both offered their deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.