At least 19 dead, nearly 200 injured after gas tanker accident in China's Zhejiang

June 15, 2020 | 09:32

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BEIJING: The number of people killed in a tanker truck explosion on a highway in eastern China has climbed to 19, with nearly 200 more injured, local authorities said on Sunday (Jun 14).

at least 19 dead nearly 200 injured after gas tanker accident in chinas zhejiang

Emergency services at the site of a tanker explosion in China's Zhejiang. (Photo: STR/AFP)

China's emergency management department said on Sunday morning there were 189 injured people still being treated in hospital, after the accident near Wenling city in the eastern province of Zhejiang on Saturday.

Local authorities said the truck was loaded with liquefied gas.

Dramatic video footage of the accident published by state media showed an explosion. In one clip, a large piece of debris is seen flying into the air before crashing on some nearby buildings.

Another video showed the remains of the tanker and several truck tyres had smashed into a building, which had been reduced to rubble.

State news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday that there was a second blast when the truck fell onto a workshop near the expressway after the first explosion.

Emergency responders were still conducting search and rescue operations, it added.

The government commission responsible for safety production called for the investigation be completed within a certain time, state media reported, without specifying the period.

The report said the commission called for traffic police to step up law enforcement focusing on vehicles such as those carrying dangerous chemicals.

Agencies/AFP

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