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The death toll in a road accident in central China's Hubei province has risen to 26 while 31 others were injured.

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WUHAN - At least 15 people died and over 30 were injured Monday morning when a long-distance coach was hit by a truck and caught fire in Central China's Hubei province, local police said.

The accident occurred at about 3:50 am on the Xiantao section of the Suizhou-Yueyang expressway, which links Suizhou in Hubei with Yueyang in adjacent Hunan province.

A spokesman with the Hubei traffic police headquarters said the bus, bound for Tianmen city from southern Guangdong province, was hit by the truck from the behind and ran off the road.

The bus then overturned and caught fire, according to the spokesman.

The casualties are from both the bus and the truck. The injured passengers have been sent to nearby hospitals with no word as of yet regarding their conditions.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident.