LA PAZ, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A passenger vehicle plunged off a highway and into a 150-meter-deep ravine in western Bolivia, leaving three people dead and three others injured, the local Fire Department reported Monday.

According to the chief of the Fire Department in La Paz department, Pavel Tovar, the car was traveling from the town of Caranavi to the city of La Paz when the accident occurred.

Rescuers from the fire and police departments arrived at the scene to aid the injured, who were rushed to the Arco Iris Hospital in La Paz, where they are receiving specialized care due to the severity of their injuries.

The national director of the Fire Department, Gonzalo Velasco, said authorities were investigating the crash and recommended drivers in the area exercise extreme caution due to adverse weather conditions such as fog and heavy rain.

"The vehicle involved plunged into the abyss and the driver is one of the injured," he said. ■