Four children were killed and three others seriously injured after a kindergarten bus overturned and fell off into a roadside pond in central China's Hubei Province Wednesday.

The accident took place in Qijiawan of Huangpi District, Wuhan City, at around 5:00 p.m., local police said.

The minibus, with a capacity load of less than 10 people, was carrying 17 kindergarten children home when the driver tried to avoid hitting a van from the opposite direction, but failed, according to the police source.

The injured were rushed to hospital, and remained in critical conditions, according to doctors.

The police is making further investigation over the the accident.