A passenger bus fell into a ravine and caught fire in southern Pakistan, killing 40 people, a local official said, AP reports.

The bus was carrying 44 passengers from Quetta in Balochistan province to Karachi in neighboring Sindh province. The accident happened near the town of Bela in Lasbela district.

Assistant Commissioner Hamza Anjum Nadeem said the bodies of 40 people, including women and children, were found. Four injured passengers were rescued. 

The bodies were charred beyond recognition and taken to Karachi for DNA sampling, he said. After identification, the bodies will be handed over to relatives of the victims.

Road accidents in Pakistan are usually caused by traffic violations, resulting in thousands of deaths every year.