10 killed, 117 injured in oil tank truck explosion in China

Beijing, June 13

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Ten people were killed and 117 others injured when an oil tank truck exploded and veered off an expressway in east China’s Zhejiang province on Saturday, local authorities said.

The explosion, which occurred around 4:40 pm near Liangshan village in Wenling city, has caused the collapse of some nearby residential houses and factory workshops along the Shenyang-Haikou Expressway.

Firefighters and rescuers are looking for possible missing persons in the debris, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Lu Fang, who works at a nearby restaurant, told Xinhua that she heard a loud bang and thought it was a flat tire commonly heard along the expressway. But people immediately started sharing the news of the blast in WeChat groups. Some photos and videos showed the front of a row of houses collapsed in the explosion.

“The glass on the windows and doors of my home were all shattered. Luckily my mother and brother were unharmed,” Lu said.

Video posted online by the state-run CGTN TV showed debris of the exploded vehicle flying all around, causing extensive damage to the neighbouring residential units.

Several cars and vehicles around the area also caught fire following the explosion.

The accident occurred on the highway, leading to the closure of many entrances. PTI