The death toll from traffic accidents in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region rose to 10 as three more died, traffic police said.

As of 5:30 p.m. on Monday, three more died after a pile-up, involving 23 vehicles, on a Turpan-Urumqi highway, which killed two and injured more than 10 when it happened at 11:00 a.m., police said. A fire involving three vehicles was also put out.

Heavy fog caused the accident, police said, adding that visibility was less than 30 meters.

Another fire broke out when a car overturned and killed five people, including three males and two females, here in the regional capital just before 4:00 a.m.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2008)