JINAN, Feb. 10 -- Seven government workers died and another 14 were injured after a coach overturned in east China's Shandong Province on Monday, local authorities said Tuesday morning.

The passengers are employees of the Mengshan Tourism Administration in Linyi City. They were on a routine patrol checking for risks of forest fire when the accident happened.

Three people were killed on the spot and another four who were severely wounded died in hospital. The injured workers are in stable condition in hospital, according to rescuers.

The cause of the accident is being investigated.