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A traffic accident occurred at around 7 am on Monday in Hezhang county, Bijie city, Southwest China's Guizhou Province, with preliminary confirmation showing that the accident has killed two students and injured another 14 students. The State Council Work Safety Committee has decided to supervise the investigation and handling of the accident, the CCTV News reported on Monday.

Upon receiving the report, the Ministry of Emergency Management immediately made arrangements, requiring all-out efforts to treat the injured and minimize casualties, identifying the cause of the accident as soon as possible and hold relevant parties accountable in accordance with laws and regulations. 

The ministry has sent a working group together with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Security to the scene to guide the handling of the accident.

Per preliminary investigation, a driver surnamed Zhang (male, 49) was driving his own minibus with those students on board in violation of overloading regulations. When passing through a local avenue, the vehicle collided with a large truck parked on the roadside, killing two students and injuring 14 others on board. The injured have been sent to hospital for treatment and are in non-life-threatening condition, according to the CCTV News.

Following the accident, Zhang has been taken into custody by public security authorities. Tests have ruled out the possibility of drunk driving or drug-impaired driving.

The treatment of the injured and the investigation of the accident are underway in an orderly manner.

According to Xinhua News Agency, among the injured, two students sustained serious injuries. All the injured have been sent to Weining county people's hospital for treatment, and the two seriously injured students are in stable condition as for the press time. 

The Office of the State Council Work Safety Committee has required Guizhou Province to conduct an upgraded investigation into the incident, per CCTV.

Global Times