41 feared dead in China bus fire

Beijing (CNN) -- Forty-one passengers are feared dead in a bus fire in central China, state media reported Friday.

Six people including the driver were rescued and hospitalized, Sun Jun, deputy director of the local government information office, told CNN.

The number of fatalities is an initial report, according to state-run CCTV.

"The fire was so big that some bodies were burned beyond recognition -- and the death toll is being tallied," Sun said.

It was unclear what caused the fire and an investigation is under way.

The bus was on a highway in Xinyang city in Henan province.

CNN's Eve Bower and Haolan Hong contributed to this report.

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