Nine people were killed and three others injured in a road accident Saturday morning in north China's Hebei Province, local authorities said.

The accident happened at about 6:20 a.m. on the National Highway 102 near the coastal city of Qinhuangdao, about 590 km northeast of provincial capital Shijiazhuang, according to a statement released by the Qinhuangdao government.

A motorcycle driver, who was only mentioned with surname Li, fell down after steering into the national road and was crushed over by a minivan driven by Wang.

The minivan then rushed into the other side of the road and crashed head-on with a heavy-duty dump truck.

Li and seven passengers on the minivan died on the spot, while driver Wang died in hospital after rescue failed.

Three other passengers on the minivan were injured and hospitalized, yet their conditions are not known.

A further investigation into the accident is under way.