A passenger bus transporting Afghans recently deported from Iran burst into flames after colliding with a motorcycle and a truck carrying fuel on the Herat–Islam Qala highway late Tuesday, Afghan officials said. The Ministry of Interior put the death toll at 79, among them 19 children, and reported two other passengers in critical condition. Earlier provincial estimates had ranged from 71 to 76 fatalities, underscoring the scale of one of the country’s deadliest road accidents in recent years. The vehicle had left the Islam Qala border crossing for Kabul when the accident occurred about 30 minutes outside Herat city. Video from the scene showed the bus engulfed in fire with little chance for rescue. Police cited excessive speed and driver error as likely causes. The victims were part of a surge of Afghans expelled from Iran—more than 1.8 million have been forcibly returned this year, according to U.N. data—straining Afghanistan’s capacity to accommodate returnees and heightening scrutiny of transport safety on the country’s war-damaged roads.