At least 24 people died on early Friday after a bus collided with a trailer setting both vehicles on fire in a highway in Oaxaca state in southern Mexico.

Officials said the accident took place at around 3:00 a.m. local time in the 185 highway between the towns of La Venta and La Mata. Officials said that the dense fog in the area triggered the accident.

The bus, property of the Cristobal Colon carrier, was at full capacity when the road incident occurred. In addition to the 24 dead, 20 passengers were injured.

The passenger vehicle crashed with a cargo trailer which was transporting sand. Upon impact both vehicles caught on fire causing that 24 people died burned. The surviving 20 individuals managed to get out of the bus and thus avoiding the deadly blaze.

Officials said that the passenger bus left from Salina Cruz and was heading towards the Gulf Coast city of Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz.

Emergency crews from La Ventosa area and federal and state law enforcement officials arrived at the scene to aid in the rescue of the passengers. The wounded individuals were transported to nearby hospitals.