Three people died after a sewage pipeline burst on Tuesday in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, according to a statement from the city's emergency management bureau on Wednesday.

The sewage pipeline was under relocation and modification. The burst caused the side soil at the construction pit and the surrounding road surface to collapse, trapping three people, the statement added.

After the accident, local emergency management, public security, fire control, and project construction units rushed to the site to rescue the trapped people. They were brought to a hospital, where they later died.

An investigation into the cause of the accident and post-accident handling procedures are underway.