In northern Mexico, a van accident kills 12 people and sparks forest fire

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Twelve people died and another four were injured in northern Mexico on Sunday after a van crashed into a ravine and caught fire, sparking a blaze in the surrounding forest, state authorities said.

The accident occurred in the northern state of Nuevo Leon that borders the U.S., a short drive away from Monterrey, the state's capital.

David de la Pena, the mayor of the municipality of Santiago, said in a short video message the accident appeared to have been caused by a mechanical failure in the vehicle.

The van, which fell nearly 120 meters (394 feet) into the ravine, was carrying 16 people, state authorities said. There was no immediate information on where the passengers were from and whether the number of people included the driver.

While some people died at the scene, others were transported to the hospital where they later died.

Images shared by authorities showed smoke rising from a dry forest, where the fire had spread rapidly, and a helicopter working to extinguish the fire.

State authorities estimated that about two hectares were scorched before the fire was controlled.

The accident is the latest in a number of road accidents with high death tolls.

Earlier this month, eleven people died in southern Mexico after a bus flipped over. Last month, 41 people died also in southern Mexico after a bus collided with a truck. Late last year, 19 people died in a bus crash in central Mexico.

(Reporting by Stefanie Eschenbacher; Editing by Sonali Paul)