At least 42 people have been killed and more than 33 others injured after the bus they were traveling in burst into flames in China's southeastern Fujian Province, Chinese media reported Friday.

The fire reportedly broke out at the rear end of the bus as it was moving along an elevated bus lane in the city of Xiamen during evening rush hours. The fire is said to have spread quickly through the bus.

The stricken bus, from Xiamen's rapid transport system, was packed with passengers when the fire broke out. Some of the rescued passengers were quoted as saying that they had smelled gasolene in the bus before the fire broke out.

State-run Xinhua news agency reported that the fire broke out when the bus was about 500 meters away from the Jinshan bus stop. The news agency added that an investigation has been launched to determine the actual cause of the fire.

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