Society

Speeding blamed for deadly central China bus crash

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-03-03 20:27

ZHENGZHOU - A bus crash that left 19 people dead and seven injured in central China's Henan Province was caused by speeding, a preliminary police investigation has found.

"We found the 29-year-old driver, Wu Jianchao, was to blame for causing the accident, but he is among the 19 dead," said Wang Hao, a spokesman for Zhengzhou Police Station.

Police have detained the owner of the bus, Shang Yajun, and Liu Shuli, the manager of the transportation company, pending further investigations.

Four of those injured were in a serious condition, said a statement issued by the State Administration of Work Safety Wednesday.

The accident occurred at 5:33 p.m. Sunday on a highway linking Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, and Xinmi City, it said.

Two of the injured were comatose in hospital, said Feng Liujuan, head of the Zhengzhou City Administration of Work Safety Wednesday.

The bus veered off the slippery road as sleet was falling, crashed through a bridge guardrail and plunged 26 meters into the Jiangang Reservoir, Feng said.

It was carrying 18 passengers, the driver and a ticket seller when it left the Zhengzhou Southern Bus Terminal. Six other passengers boarded the bus along the way, Feng said.

The bus was pulled from the water at 4 a.m. Monday and towed away for investigation, he said.