A highway bus explosion has left at least two people dead and 22 injured near Zhuzhou city in Hunan province.
The blast occurred at 5.40am on Wednesday just after the long-distance bus carrying 30 people had left Youxian city, the China Youth Daily reported.
The injured were sent to five different hospitals in the area. Eight were listed in a serious condition.
A Zhuzhou city transport official said the explosion was caused by a passenger carrying 'volatile materials'. He said he did not know whether the explosion was intentional.
A police officer from nearby Baiguan city refused to discuss the possible causes of the blast.
The China Youth Daily report said Hunan Public Security Bureau Vice-Director Yang Hongguang was at the scene leading the investigation.
