Five Killed As Car Smashes Into Crowd At Tiananmen Square

A Chinese paramilitary police officer stands in front of the Great Hall of the People at Beijing's Tiananmen Square. (file photo)

Chinese state-run media say five people died when a vehicle smashed into pedestrians and caught fire at Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the three people who were in the car were among the dead.

Two tourists, one a woman from the Philippines and the other a Chinese man, also died.

Up to 38 people, including several foreigners, were reported injured in the October 28 incident, when state media said a vehicle crashed through a barrier in front of Tiananmen Gate and caught fire.

It remained unclear whether the car crashed accidentally or was deliberately rammed into the crowed.

The area around the square, the site of the 1989 pro-democracy protests, is one of China's most strictly guarded public venues.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she did not know "the specifics" when asked whether there was any evidence of a terrorist attack.

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP