Four students were killed after the motorcycle they rode hit a roadside tree and fell into nearby paddy field following a classmate reunion party in China's southwestern municipality of Chongqing, local government said on Monday.

The accident happened at 3 PM Monday when the four students, a college freshman and three senior middle school students, were heading to Zhoujia Town by motorcycle from Pushun Town where they had attended a classmate gathering at midday, according to the Dianjiang County government.

Three were killed at the scene. Another died in hospital despite doctors' efforts.

An initial investigation showed they drank a lot of alcohol at the gathering, said the local government, adding over-speed should also be blamed for the accident.

The government will "seriously deal with those responsible for the accident on the basis of further investigation", according to an official.

(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2007)