Eight people died in a bus-van collision Sunday on a highway in Gansu Province, northwest China, local traffic police confirmed Monday.

The vehicles collided on provincial highway 309 just before 5 p.m. and the bus rolled over the van. The accident occurred in Hezheng County, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, said Luo Yi, deputy chief of the accident section of the provincial general traffic police detachment.

Both vehicles were locally registered, Luo said.

All known deaths and injuries were in the van. Five of the nine aboard the van died on the spot, while the rest were injured. Three of the four injured died during surgery, according to Luo.

The only survivor is still hospitalized.

The fate of the van driver is unknown, and the bus driver is in police custody.

(Xinhua News Agnecy March 9, 2009)