Five people were killed and nine others were injured Tuesday morning when a passenger van lost control and crashed along the Central Luzon Expressway (CCLEX) in Tarlac City, authorities said.
The incident happened around 8 a.m. when an L300 FB, carrying 14 passengers, struck the side barrier of the expressway. Police said the driver appeared to have lost control of the vehicle, but the cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Eleven of the injured passengers were taken to Tarlac Provincial Hospital, while three others were brought to Jecsons Medical Center for treatment. The conditions of the survivors were not immediately disclosed.
The Philippine Red Cross – Tarlac Chapter quickly responded to the scene, deploying ambulances and setting up a welfare desk and first aid station for victims and their families.
Authorities have not released the names of the deceased pending notification of their relatives. The crash temporarily slowed traffic on the expressway as emergency crews conducted rescue and clearing operations.
Police are continuing their probe to determine whether speed, mechanical failure, or driver error caused the deadly crash.
