Beijing - Chinese authorities on Monday detained 10 people after 43 died in a horrific weekend accident when a van carrying inflammable liquid hit a bus on a motorway, state media said.
Police detained the group as part of an investigation into the “illegal transportation of hazardous chemicals”, a report by official news agency Xinhua said.
The collision in central Hunan province early on Saturday triggered a fire and explosion which destroyed five vehicles, it said.
The death toll was previously reported to be 38.
Another six people were injured in the accident, which involved a double-decker long-distance bus, with capacity for 53 occupants.
The vehicle was travelling between the eastern coastal province of Fujian and Guizhou in the south-west when the crash occurred.
Fatal road accidents are a serious problem in China, particularly involving the country's often over-crowded long-distance buses.
In August 2012, at least 36 people died when a double-decker sleeper bus slammed into the rear of a methanol tanker and burst into flames in northern China.
The transportation of dangerous chemicals is also a major issue in China, with poor rural workers commonly flouting laws. - Sapa-AFP