The death toll in the 52-vehicle pile-up on a southwest China expressway on Friday has risen to five with 36 injured, according to police in Chongqing Municipality.

Foggy weather, speeding and overloading were all to blame for the accident which occurred at 8:00 AM on the Yongchuan section of the Chengdu-Chongqing expressway.

Many of the vehicles were too overloaded or traveling too fast for the drivers to be able to brake safely in the fog, said a police officer.

The road was reopened at 11:30 AM, and investigation into the accident is continuing.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2007)