At least 26 people have been killed in a horror crash where a lorry collided with a minibus before bursting into flames.
A baby was reportedly among the victims of the crash which occurred near the US-Mexican border.
The incident occurred on a highway near the capital of border state Tamaulipas, Ciudad Victoria, on Sunday.
Paramedics from the Red Cross rushed to the scene to provide medical attention.
Local authorities said the death toll was a preliminary count, apparently because of the sheer volume of the wreckage and the fire that consumed the van and the freight trailer.
The cab that had been pulling the freight trailer was not found at the scene, suggesting the driver might have uncoupled it and fled.
The cause of the incident is being investigated, however, the driver of the semi-truck is suspected to have fled the scene.
Local media reported many of the victims might be members of an extended family returning from an outing, but authorities did not confirm that.
In the past, big death tolls in similar crashes in Mexico have often been blamed on overloaded vehicles linked to migrant smuggling.
Mexico's State Secretariat of Public Security said the accident occurred at km 80 of Highway 83, along the Hidalgo-Zaragoza stretch.
Startling pictures released by authorities show the passenger van nearly entirely destroyed by fire, while the semi-truck also sustained substantial harm from the inferno.
Large plumes of thick black smoke spread in the sky from the blaze.
The highway remained open to traffic but state authorities have called for driving with caution, and respecting speed limits and signs.
The Governor of Tamaulipas, Américo Villarreal Anaya, sent his condolences to the relatives and loved ones of the people who lost their lives in the tragic incident on the Güémez-Zaragoza highway.
He added that the state will provide all the necessary support to the affected families and assist the authorities investigating the accident.
With a message in Spanish, he said: "I deeply remorse the tragedy recorded this morning at km. 81 on the Güemez-Zaragoza freeway, the place a number of harmless folks misplaced their lives. My condolences to their households.
“I’ve given directions to research the reason for this accident and likewise to offer all potential assist to the households of the victims."
Earlier, authorities from Tamaulipas security confirmed the casualties, stating, “Civil protection authorities are responding, and so far they are reporting 13 people deceased.”
Officials from the State Public Security mentioned: “Circulation just isn’t obstructed, nevertheless, it’s endorsed to drive with warning and respect the velocity limits in addition to the indicators.”
First responders continue to collect data with the aim to determine the cause of the incident.
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