China: Dozens Die In Motorway Bus Inferno

At least 41 people have died after an overcrowded bus carrying hazardous goods burst into flames on a motorway in China.

The fire happened early on Friday morning on a motorway in Xinyang in Henan province.

Five passengers and the driver were pulled out alive from the double-decker overnight bus, which had 35 berths for passengers to sleep in as they travelled further south to Hunan province.

Photos of the accident showed the bus had been completely destroyed by the blaze - the cause of which is still being investigated - leaving only a burnt-out shell.

The fire raged for two hours, completely destroying bodies on board, a police officer said.

All the survivors were rushed to hospital, with one seriously injured, a journalist from China Central Television said.

China's roads are among the world's most dangerous, with traffic laws and safety widely flouted.

Almost 70,000 people died in road accidents in 2009 - around 190 fatalities a day - according to police statistics.