China / China

Massive vehicle pileup kills at least 12

(Xinhua) Updated: 2010-11-05 15:38

ZHANGSHU, Jiangxi - At least 12 people are dead and 13 others injured after a 41-vehicle traffic accident Friday on an expressway in East China's Jiangxi province, local traffic police said.

Massive vehicle pileup kills at least 12

Rescuers try to clear a massive vehicle pileup that left at least 12 people dead and 13 others injured on an expressway in Zhangshu city, East China's Jiangxi province, Nov 5, 2010. Heavy fog was to blame for the accident, in which 41 vehicles, mostly trucks, were involved, at about 7 am. [Photo/Xinhua]

Amid heavy fog, the vehicles, mostly trucks, crashed into the back of each other at about 7:40 am on an expressway in Zhangshu city, Jiangxi police said in a statement.

The 41 vehicles included a bus and a fireworks-laden truck, a fire-fighter at the scene told Xinhua. The fireworks-laden truck did not catch fire and the fireworks did not explode.

Seven trucks, including one laden with wood, caught fire.

More than 120 people were evacuated from the scene.

Two people are still trapped in their vehicles and rescuers are working to pull them out.

Heavy smoke still shrouded the scene Friday afternoon.

At least five fire trucks and dozens of fire-fighters are at the scene to rescue victims and extinguish the blaze.

Firefighters said the death toll is likely to rise.

Separately, in a different part of China Friday, heavy fog caused another massive pileup.

On an expressway near the port city of Qingdao in East China's Shandong province, more than 40 vehicles crashed into the back of each other, causing injury to an unspecified number of people. Most of the injuries were not severe.