An expressway accident in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Thursday afternoon has left three people dead and 30 injured, local police reported.

The accident occurred at 3:20 PM in Qijiang County when a bus carrying 33 passengers crashed into a road-cleaning vehicle on the Chongqing-Guizhou expressway and overturned into a roadside vegetable field.

Three people died at the scene and 30 passengers were injured. Two slightly injured victims left the scene on their own, while the other 28 were hospitalized.

Highway police said the accident was probably caused by the bus driver, who had been following the vehicle in front too closely. Trying to overtake, he crashed into the rear of the vehicle.

Doctors with People's Hospital in Qijiang County, where the injured passengers are being treated, said most of the injured passengers are free from death risks. Two were seriously wounded from fractures.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2007)