At least 19 people were killed and 58 injured when a passenger bus collided with a truck transporting beer bottles at Induruwa, around 80 kilometers south off Colombo early Tuesday morning.

The two vehicles caught fire after the head on collision. Most of the passengers were burnt to death as the bus caught fire and they could not escape, said police.

The injured have been admitted to the nearby Balapitiya hospital.

The collision occurred on the same route taken by the South Asian Association for regional Cooperation (SAARC) car rally, which was flagged off from Colombo this morning.

The road was cleared soon for the rally to pass through, said officials.