NANNING, April 17 -- Some 677,000 yuan (110,000 U.S. dollars) was burnt to ashes when a cash carrier caught fire on a south China highway, local authorities said Friday.

The accident happened at around 11 a.m. Wednesday, when a fire suddenly engulfed the vehicle on a highway linking the cities of Nanning and Qinzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The money on the carrier belonged to multiple toll gates and gas stations, according to the escort service company.

Personnel eventually managed to save 300,000 yuan in partially damaged notes, the company said.

Further investigation is under way.