Najaf, Iraq—A high-speed passenger van rollover on a major highway outside Najaf killed three people and injured eight others on September 29, 2026, after a tire blowout forced the vehicle off the road.
The vehicle was carrying eleven commuters when a rear tire burst at high speed, causing the driver to lose control and flip the van into a roadside drainage trench.
Passersby and nearby motorist patrols pulled survivors from the inverted chassis before police units and medical teams arrived at the crash site.
Paramedics confirmed three passengers died at the scene, while eight survivors were stabilized and rushed to Najaf Teaching Hospital.
Hospital staff reported that three injured passengers remain in critical intensive care unit treatment suffering from compound fractures and internal injuries. "The vehicle flipped multiple times after the tire blew, throwing structural weight directly onto the passenger compartment," stated Lieutenant Ali Al-Yasiri of the local highway security force.
Highway police closed two lanes of the primary thoroughfare to clear debris and allow forensic accident units to measure vehicle trajectory lines.
Initial mechanical assessments indicate the commercial passenger van was operating with worn tire treads and exceeding standard passenger capacity limits.
Heavy recovery vehicles hoisted the overturned van onto flatbed trucks to restore normal traffic flow along the southern highway link.
Traffic authorities maintain an active investigation into commercial transport safety compliance as hospital teams monitor the condition of the injured survivors.
Published by Banx Network. This article is part of the Banx decentralized media programme, powered by the BXE token on the XRP Ledger.
