East China bus tragedy caused by nearby truck explosion
17/3/2005 16:36
A truck loaded with firecrackers and powder exploded early Thursday
morning in east China's Jiangxi Province, blowing up a nearby bus and leaving
more than 20 people dead, local police said.
Police initially thought the
double-decker bus caused the explosion.
Initial investigation, however,
showed that the bus from Shenzhen, southern Guangdong Province, to eastern
Zhejiang Province was blown up by the explosion of a truck from Liuyang City of
central Hunan Province, a major firecracker producer.
The accident occurred
at about 4:00 a.m. in Shangrao County on a local expressway.
The exact death
toll is still unavailable, as the victims were blown to pieces, said local
police, who estimate the tragedy may have killed about 30.
The explosion also
caused injuries to five local people and two drivers near the scene, who were
all hospitalized at present.
Further investigation is
underway.
Xinhua
|
