At least 38 people were killed in a collision between a bus and a van carrying flammable liquids in southern China, state media reported yesterday, the latest in a string of accidents that have fuelled anger over unsafe transport.

The crash in Hunan province happened in the early hours of yesterday morning when the van drove into the back of the passenger coach, triggering a fire and explosion, the official Xinhua news agency said. Five people were injured, including four with severe burns. Five vehicles were destroyed, Xinhua said.

Last week, 11 people were killed, including eight children, when a school bus crashed into a reservoir in Hunan.

A series of accidents in recent years involving vehicles carrying school children have made such incidents a sensitive issue, particularly in China’s rural areas where roads are often poorly maintained.