GUANGZHOU, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and three others injured after a minibus collided with a truck at a highway tunnel in southern China's Guangdong Province early Sunday, local police said.

The minibus from Dongguan city, rear-ended the truck and then caught fire at the expressway tunnel in Meixian County at 2:44 a.m. Sunday, said Meizhou City Public Security Bureau.

Rescuers retrieved six bodies from the minibus, while three others were injured and sent to hospital for medical treatment. The injured are in non-critical condition.

Police blamed the accident on the driver's fatigue. He drove the minibus from Dongguan to Sanming city, in neighboring Fujian Province, on Saturday morning and returned the same night.

The minibus was supposed to only sit seven people but was carrying nine, police said.