Eight people, including a child, were charred to death after a car in which they were travelling collided with a dumper (truck) on the Bareilly-Nainital Highway in the Bhojipura police station area of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday night, police said. Two occupants of the dumper were also critically injured.

Eyewitnesses told news agency PTI that a tyre of the car burst, resulting in a head-on collision with a dumper, which was coming from Uttarakhand.

The collision was followed by a loud explosion as the two vehicles went up in flames. Locals rushed out of their homes to help and informed the police, PTI reported.

A police team soon arrived at the spot and fire engines were called in to douse the fire. However, the occupants of the car were burnt alive as the doors were locked from inside.

Special Superintendent of Police (SSP) GS Chandrabhan confirmed the death of all occupants.

“An Ertiga collided with a truck on the (Nainital) highway. Following the collision, a fire broke out in the car, and eight people – including a child – lost their lives. Their bodies have been sent for post-mortem,” says Chandrabhan told PTI.

He further said the police took possession of the bodies and sent them for post-mortem.