Tire falling off moving vehicle causes east China traffic crash: investigation

NANJING, April 7 (Xinhua) -- A fatal traffic accident that took place in east China's Jiangsu Province on Sunday was triggered by a truck losing control while trying to avoid a tire that fell off a moving vehicle at the front, found a preliminary investigation.

The accident that claimed 11 lives and left 19 others injured happened around 1 a.m. on the Shenyang-Haikou expressway as the truck crossed the fence along the middle of the road and crashed into a passenger bus, causing the latter's overturn as well as a rear-end collision of another two trucks in line.

Drivers of the vehicles involved in the accident were not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to the investigation. It also ruled out overspeeding, or vehicle overloading.

Further investigation into the accident is currently underway.