More than 20 persons were killed when a bus run on Compressed Natural Gas collided with a chemical tanker on the highway near Anand district of Gujarat on Monday.

Most of the victims were charred beyond recognition, police said, adding that the death toll could rise.

The mishap occurred when the state-owned bus was headed towards Vadodara on the Anand-Mogar road.

Unconfirmed reports from the accident site said that some passers by who were carrying hay-stacks were also killed in the blaze. But there is no official confirmation of this yet.

The collision was mainly between the bus and the tanker but also involved some other vehicles.

Rescue workers, including several from the fire brigade and locals of nearby areas, tried to douse the flames and save as many passengers as possible.

Passengers who survived the tragedy and suffered burn injuries were rushed to a nearby hospital, police said.