An explosion caused by a fuel tanker accident on a main road on the outskirts of Mexico City has killed at least 22 people and injured dozens more.
The rear trailer of the articulated truck came loose after the vehicle hit the central division of the main commuting route connecting the capital to the vast urban sprawl to the north, in the State of Mexico, according to early reports.
That was where the the accident took place, in an area called Ecatepec. The rear trailer reportedly crossed on to the other side of the road before crashing and exploding.
Salvador Neme, the head of the citizen safety department of the State of Mexico, said most of the deaths had occurred in the houses lining the road, some just a few feet away from the six lanes of heavy traffic. He said several children were among the victims.
Neme said more than 500 police, soldiers and rescue workers had been sent to the scene to control the fires and sift through the burnt-out homes and vehicles in search of victims. He gave an initial estimate of 27 houses and 16 vehicles affected by the accident.
The driver of the lorry was said to be one of 36 people taken to hospital, and to have been placed under arrest. Local media reported that the truck belonged to a company called Termo Gas.
The truck was reportedly travelling into the capital when the accident happened, shortly after 5am, just as the morning rush was beginning.
The road was immediately closed, causing chaos, but the authorities said they expected it to be open again before midday.
The tragedy has highlighted longstanding concerns about the safety of lorries travelling on Mexican roads. Just over a year ago, 43 people died when the rear trailer of an articulated lorry crashed into a bus full of farm workers on road in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz.