Seventeen people were killed when a van crashed into a dump truck and burst into flames in the Philippines.

The Toyota Hiace van was travelling along the highway when it was struck by an out-of-control truck carrying sand and gravel through Antipas town in Cotabato province on March 25 afternoon.

Both vehicles rolled over into nearby flood control canals as the van was engulfed in fire with passengers still inside.

Footage shows the blaze swallowing the van on the roadside as one person was seen writhing on the ground next to the burning wreckage.

Firefighters later arrived and extinguished the flames.

Police Captain Godofredo Tupas II, Antipas Police chief, told local media: 'We are still investigating what triggered the collision. So far, 17 are confirmed dead.

'Accidents are common in the area, which has a steep and winding road.'

The passengers had boarded the van at a terminal in Antipas town and were headed to the provincial capital Kidapawan City when the accident occurred, authorities said.

The casualties included a child who was flung out of the van and died in the hospital.

Police said most of the fatalities were still being identified as the corpses were severely burnt.

The truck driver Dumapias Nasiad, 50, survived the crash and was recovering at a hospital. He was reported to have lost control of the wheel, resulting in the collision.

Road safety is a problem in the Philippines, where poor infrastructure, lax enforcement of traffic regulations, and a high number of road users, result in frequent accidents.