A BUS collided with a truck early Saturday, killing 17 people and injuring 33 others on a freeway in South China’s Guangdong Province.

All the injured were in a stable condition, according to local authorities.

The truck, carrying a heavy load of ore, had pulled over on the freeway near Shaoguan City in northern Guangdong to repair a tire when the bus collided with it.

Fifteen passengers were killed at the site and two others died later in hospital.

The truck was from Central China’s Hunan Province, while the coach was on its way to Shangqiu City in Henan Province, according to Shaoguan city traffic police.

The truck driver has been blamed for trying to repair the vehicle without erecting a warning sign, an official said.

Investigation into the accident is underway.

(SD-Xinhua)