▁ ▁The ▁accident ▁was ▁the ▁dead liest ▁in ▁China ▁since ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁X iny ang ▁bus ▁fire , ▁when ▁a ▁fire ▁in ▁an ▁over c row ded ▁sle eper ▁bus ▁containing ▁fl amm able ▁material ▁killed ▁ 4 1 ▁people . ▁ ▁The ▁crash ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁a ▁tank er ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁highway ▁following ▁an ▁early - mor ning ▁rest ▁stop . ▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁a ▁double - de cker ▁sle eper ▁bus ▁carrying ▁ 3 9 ▁people ▁left ▁H oh hot , ▁in ▁Inner ▁Mong olia , ▁and ▁head ed ▁south ▁to ▁X i ' an . ▁ ▁The ▁tank er ▁was ▁rear - ended ▁by ▁the ▁bus ▁at ▁approximately ▁ 2 : 0 0 ▁a . m . ▁on ▁the ▁Ba ot ou - Ma oming ▁motor way ▁in ▁north ▁China . ▁ ▁The ▁tank er ▁was ▁loaded ▁with ▁highly ▁fl amm able ▁m eth an ol , ▁causing ▁the ▁tank er ▁and ▁bus ▁to ▁expl ode ▁in ▁fl ames . ▁ ▁Th irty - six ▁people ▁were ▁killed ▁in ▁the ▁crash , ▁partly ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁passengers ▁were ▁sleep ing ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁explos ion . ▁Three ▁people ▁surv ived ▁the ▁crash ▁but ▁were ▁hospital ized ▁with ▁inj uries . ▁ ▁Ident ification ▁of ▁vict ims ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁Chinese ▁government ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁had ▁confirmed ▁the ▁ident ities ▁of ▁twenty