Shanxi road accident death toll hits 12

The death toll from a truck collision in north China's Shanxi province on Saturday has risen to 12 after four more bodies were found in a tunnel and one of 11 injured people died in hospital, local authorities announced on Tuesday.

The accident happened at 2:50 pm on Saturday when a coal truck rear-ended a tanker lorry loaded with methanol, a poisonous and flammable liquid often used as a fuel.

The collision, which caused a fire and explosion, happened inside the Yanhou Tunnel of a highway linking Shanxi's Jincheng city and Jiyuan city in Henan Province, killing drivers and passengers on nearby vehicles.

Rescuers have so far found 11 bodies at the scene.

Fifty-three people managed to escape, including the four drivers on the coal truck and the tanker.