Inflammable goods illegally carried by a passenger led to a bus fire, causing 26 deaths in central China's Hunan Province on March 22, investigators said on Saturday.

A  51-year-old male passenger, surnamed Chen, was among the dead. Twenty-eight people also suffered injuries.

The investigators said Chen was carrying the goods as a threat to settle a business dispute in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The items exploded and set the 59-seater bus on fire on a highway in Hanshou County in the city of Changde. There were 56 people on board – 53 passengers, two drivers and a tour guide.

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26 killed after tour bus burst into flames in central China