Patna, May 23 (IANS): Eight labourers died and eight others were injured after a truck laden with pipes overturned in Bihar's Purnea district on Monday morning.

The accident occurred at the Kali temple under the Jalalgarh police station on the Siliguri-Delhi four lane National Highway 57 at 3.30 a.m.

Surendra Kumar Saroj, SDPO of Purnea (Sadar) told IANS that all the 16 victims are natives of Rajasthan and eight of them died on the spot.

"The goods truck laden with pipes was on the way from Silliguri to Jammu & Kashmir. The labourers were also boarded on the truck. When they reached the Kali temple on four lanes, the truck overturned. The pipes fell on them. Eight of them died as they were trapped under the pipes," Saroj said.

"We have immediately initiated a rescue operation at the accident place and recovered the dead bodies. We have also rescued the injured persons and sent them to primary health centers. Their condition is stable now," Saroj said.

"After the accident, the driver and helper managed to flee from the spot. Efforts are on to nab them," Saroj said.