Two men were killed and another four badly injured on Monday night in a collision between a car and two motorbikes that set off a blaze that left the car and one of the motos completely scorched in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district, police said yesterday.

Meanchey district traffic police chief Pen Sovesna said the car’s driver, Rat Viraktaro, 25, attempted to flee the scene, but was arrested, while the four injured were sent to hospital.

According to Sovesna, one of the dead has been identified as Sok Tham, 46, of Prey Veng province, while the other is still unidentified.

Witness Kean Sok, 48, said that at 9:15pm, a white car was speeding erratically and rear-ended the motorbikes – each carrying three people – with one of the bikes getting caught in its undercarriage.

One rider was killed after being thrown from the bike and striking concrete pipes, while another was killed when he slammed into the pavement.

“The car dragged one motorbike for about 50 metres, then exploded and burned,” Sok continued. “That surprised the people, and authorities called three fire engines to extinguish it.”