Seven people died and another one was slightly injured when a mini-bus crashed into a truck on Friday morning in central China's Anhui Province, local police have confirmed.

The accident occurred at 5 AM Friday in Lingbi County of Suzhou City when the mini-bus, licensed in Anhui, crashed into a truck that had stopped on the road. It is not known at this stage whether the truck had any lights to signal its presence to oncoming traffic.

Rescuers said three people, including the driver of the mini-bus, died at the scene. Another four seriously injured people died later in hospital.

The slightly injured person is being treated in hospital.

A traffic safety investigation is under way.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2007)