Two people died after a fuel tanker crashed into a roadside food cart in Barangay Palaka, Valladolid, Negros Occidental, on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
The collision occurred at about 4 p.m. on July 5 and claimed the life of a 36-year-old female vendor at the scene. Her 19-year-old son sustained injuries in the incident.
Police Lt. Celso Omega, deputy chief of the Valladolid Municipal Police Station, told Brigada News FM Bacolod that the vendor’s 17-year-old female helper later died at about 8 p.m. due to injuries sustained in the crash.
According to the initial police investigation, the 57-year-old driver of the fuel tanker allegedly fell asleep while driving.
Investigators said the driver lost control of the tanker, causing it to veer off course and plow into the food cart where the victims were selling food along the roadside.
The impact fatally injured the vendor and critically wounded her helper, who later died while receiving treatment. The vendor’s son survived but was injured during the incident.
The driver is now under the custody of the Valladolid Municipal Police Station.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing as authorities prepare the appropriate charges against the driver.
Officials have not released additional details regarding the condition of the injured victim or the specific charges that will be filed.
The incident remains under investigation as authorities continue to determine all circumstances surrounding the fatal crash.
