Authorities say six men in a van were killed when a tractor-trailer loaded with sand hit their vehicle in south-central Florida.

The Florida Highway patrol says the tractor-trailer ran through a stop sign around 6:30 a.m. and struck the van's right side.

At least two of the van's six occupants were thrown from the vehicle. All six were pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to a hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life threatening. His name has not been released.

The crash happened about 60 miles east of Fort Myers.