Tanker explosion kills five, burns homes in northwest China
22/10/2008 17:14
Five people were killed when a tanker carrying liquefied gas caught fire
and exploded on a highway in northwest China's Shaanxi Province yesterday,
police and witnesses said today.
The truck, from the neighboring Gansu
Province, was en route to Fengxian County when it flipped, caught fire and
exploded at 2:15 am underneath a railroad bridge, traffic police in Fengxian
County said.
The victims included two drivers in the truck and a family of
three living close to the highway. Another villager was seriously
injured.
People near the accident said they were woken up by a loud bang and
felt their houses rocking.
"I thought it was an earthquake and ran out to
check it out," said Li Guozhi, a villager in Huangniupu town.
The explosion
destroyed Li's roof and window panes and all his family's newly harvested corn,
which was being aired in the courtyard. At least 10 other houses in the
neighborhood were damaged by the fire.
The accident also cut off power and
communication in town and disrupted highway as well as railway traffic headed to
Sichuan Province for nearly 12 hours.
The cause of the accident is under
investigation.
Xinhua
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