Nine people were killed and 27 injured when an express bus travelling from Rangoon to Mandalay crashed in the early hours of Sunday.

The accident happened around 10 kilometres from Mandalay town. Locals believe the driver, from New Mandalar Htun bus company, had fallen asleep at the wheel.

According to a local news reporter, an eight-year-old girl was among those killed, while an official at Mandalay General Hospital told DVB that the 27 injured had been taken there for treatment.

Police in Mandalay, who are preparing to charge the driver, confirmed that nine people were killed.

“We still don’t know full details of the incident yet, although we learnt that the bus was going over the speed limit,” said a police official.