After a traffic accident involving a wrong-way driver, a car that also ran on liquid gas exploded in the Saxon community of Lauter-Bernsbach.

As a result of the explosion, eight people suffered injuries, three of them serious, the police in Chemnitz said on Sunday.

In addition to the two cars involved in the accident, parked cars, house facades and the road surface were also damaged.

The total damage is about 100,000 euros.

According to the police, a 35-year-old drove as a wrong-way driver on a one-way street in the village, when entering an intersection he drove into the rear of a car coming from the left.

The car then skidded and collided with another car.

The driver of the car hit by the wrong-way driver was able to leave his car on his own and then noticed that gas and petrol were leaking from the liquid gas tank and the fuel tank.

Shortly thereafter, there was a deflagration, which exploded the tanks of the accident car.

The man driving the wrong way and the two 71 and 61-year-old occupants of the third car involved suffered serious injuries.

Four occupants of the other cars involved and a first responder were reportedly slightly injured.