SHIJIAZHUANG -- Three people were killed and another 15 injured in a truck collision in North China's Hebei province on Tuesday morning, local authorities said.

The accident happened at around 6:20 am when an oil tanker rear-ended a coal truck in a tunnel on the highway linking cities of Zhangjiakou and Shijiazhuang, according to the government of Laiyuan county.

The collision caused an explosion and fire, killing three and injuring another three people on the site. Another 12 people were injured when the explosion damaged their nearby homes.

The injured are being treated in hospital.

Further investigation and cleaning-up work at the scene of the collision are ongoing.