China road collision kills 24

Firemen tackle a blaze at a bus crash in the Changping District of Beijing. China Photos / Getty Images

BEIJING - A truck carrying a chemical rammed into a bus near Beijing, killing 24 people and injuring nine, the China Daily reported on Tuesday.

The two vehicles plunged into a 20-metre ditch after the collision on Sunday.

The truck, which was carrying calcium chloride, had suffered brake failure, the report said.

The chemical is used to melt ice on roads, control dust, and also as a food preservative.

China has more road casualties than any other country. Collisions and other accidents killed nearly 107,000 people last year.

- REUTERS