Sixteen people were killed and 12 others injured when a truck overturned in Jiangxi Province Tuesday, local authorities said.

The accident occurred on a highway in Tiantuo village, Nanfeng county, around 8:40 pm Tuesday, when the truck loaded with pears and 28 people, including the driver and 24 women, overturned.

The victims and injured people are from the county's Taihe township. Chen Junming, a farmer also from Taihe, hired them for temporary work in neighboring Fujian Province. The accident occurred as they were on their way home. Fifteen people were killed on the spot, and one died after medical treatments failed.

Chen is in police custody. Further investigation is underway.