Seven dead in fiery US van crash near Yellowstone

A fiery crash involving a passenger van near Yellowstone National Park has left seven people dead, US police said Friday.

Detectives probing the crash said a pickup truck collided with a van carrying 14 people on Thursday evening by Henry's Lake in eastern Idaho.

"Tragically, six individuals in the van and the driver of the pickup died as a result of the crash," a statement from Idaho State Police said Friday.

Pictures in local media showed a badly crumpled red truck and a van that had been engulfed in flames.

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Police said an air ambulance had been called in to transport victims to hospitals "due to the severity of the injuries."

There was no information on the identities or nationalities of those caught up in the crash.

Locals quoted by media said the road is usually busy because it leads to one of the entrances to Yellowstone.

Millions of tourists -- domestic and international -- travel every year to Yellowstone, the first national park to be established in the United States, which covers portions of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.

It is home to thousands of geothermal features -- hot springs, mudpots, steam vents and about half the world's active geysers, including Old Faithful.