China road pile-up kills 24 - Xinhua

BEIJING, Apr 10 (Reuters) A truck loaded with bicycle wheels collided with a mini-bus and a coach today, killing 24 people and injuring at least 20, state media reported.

The accident happened near Guataishan, Tianshui city, in impoverished western Gansu province, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing local police. It said the truck's brakes had failed.

China has the highest annual road death toll in the world, with accidents killing almost 100,000 people last year, or about 270 a day.

In February, a bus fell into a valley in southwest Guizhou province, killing 23 people.

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