GUIYANG -- Eight people have died and three others were injured in a chemical leak in Guiyang, the capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, local authorities said Saturday.

Police in Guiyang received a report at 12:12 am on Saturday that some people had passed out near a chemical company.

A preliminary investigation has revealed that a leak of methyl formate happened while workers of the company were unloading the chemical from a vehicle with a Hubei Province license plate.

Eight people have been confirmed dead. The three injured are receiving treatment at the hospital.

Further investigation of the accident is underway, local authorities said.