ZHENGZHOU - Six officials from Xinmi city of Central China's Henan province died in a car crash early Sunday morning, local authorities said.

The accident happened at about 0:40 am when an MPV they were in collided with a slag car at a crossing in Xinmi city, according to a statement from the publicity department of Sanmenxia city, which administers Xinmi city.

Six officials, including the chairman of the Xinmi municipal committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a Standing Committee member of the Communist Party of China Xinmi Municipal Committee and a deputy head of Xinmi municipal government, died at the scene, according to the statement.

Another official from the municipal land and resources bureau was injured and is receiving treatment at a local hospital, it said.

The officials arrived in the provincial capital city of Zhengzhou from a business tour in East China's Fujian province on Saturday. They decided to return overnight to Xinmi city to attend a government meeting scheduled for Sunday morning, according to the statement.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.