China's official news agency says a multiple-car accident in southern Jiangxi province has killed at least 17 people and injured four others.

Xinhua news agency reported the accident happened early Saturday on the Shanghai-Kunming expressway. It said the pileup involved four vehicles and was triggered when a truck rear-ended another truck, overturned, and then flipped into an oncoming traffic.

Xinhua said 12 people died at the scene and five others died later in a hospital.

An investigation is under way.