Nine killed by Philippines tanker blast

Police say nine people including two children have died after an out-of-control lorry carrying petrol tanks rammed into a row of roadside diners and its cargo exploded in the Philippines.

Chief Inspector Armandi Dimapuyo says the driver tried to overtake a van along a highway in Cavite province's Carmona township, just south of the capital Manila.

He says the driver lost control of the vehicle, which smashed into an electric post and the food stalls.

The truck flipped on its side and leaking tanks scattered along the road exploded, razing the eateries before dawn today.

Two children aged two and 12 were among the dead.

Poorly maintained vehicles and roads, reckless driving and weak traffic law enforcement are blamed for many deadly accidents in the Philippines.