PARIS, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Three people, including a pregnant woman were killed and two injured in a traffic accident which occurred on Wednesday afternoon on the highway A7 near Avignon in the Vaucluse, a department in the southeast of France, local media reported.

"A truck crossed the safety barrier that separates the two directions of traffic on the highway A7, causing a collision between several light vehicles on the highway, which caught fire", according to local media reports.

The portion of highway in the North/South direction has been reopened and the other direction would not be open until Wednesday night.

The cause of the accident has not yet been determined. More than 30 policemen and over 20 firefighters are at the scene, reports said.