26 killed as Taiwan tour bus bursts into flames

Up to 26 people were killed after a tour bus carrying Chinese tourists burst into flames on busy highway in Taiwan, local media reported.

Taiwan's official Central News agency said the accident took place on a highway south of the capital Taipei. It reported that the bus smashed into a roadside barrier and caught fire as it was taking vacationers to the airport. The cause of the accident is not known.

Photos from the scene showed flames and thick black smoke pouring from the cab of the bus. Focus Taiwan, a local news website, said it was one of the worst ever accidents involving Chinese tourists in Taiwan.