Five people, including the bus driver, died at the accident spot inside the bus and three succumbed later, police said.
The bus on its way to Kerala from Bangalore hit the tanker around 3.45 a.m. on the National Highway 47, they said. Erode is around 405 km from Chennai.
At least 23 injured were admitted to the Erode General Hospital.
Police said the lorry with no major damage stopped at some distance from the accident spot.
Published 06 November 2011, 03:47 IST