July 28: At least 12 people were killed and as many as 300 injured when a powerful explosion triggered by a gas pipeline leakage ripped apart a plastic and chemicals factory in eastern China. Twelve people were confirmed dead at hospitals treating injured people in Jiangsu province’s capital Nanjing, state-run agency Xinhua reported. The blast occurred at about 10.10 a m at an abandoned plastic and chemicals factory and an initial investigation showed gas leak from a pipeline going through the plant as the trigger of the explosion.
Buildings and vehicles within a 100-metre radius around the factory were seriously damaged.
The impact of the explosion also damaged a bus that was passing the area, injuring many passengers. Media reports said a man was hit by a falling ceiling when he was sleeping at home. He died later in hospital. The blaze at the factory has been brought under control by the firefighters but rescuers are still searching for people in the debris.
Local residents said they felt a tremor and heard a loud noise, and many fled out from buildings thinking it was an earthquake. Authorities could not immediately give the number of casualties.