8 killed, 35 injured in gas explosion in south-west China (VIDEO)
Locals were forced to flee a wall of flame near a Chinese village on Sunday after a natural gas pipeline exploded, killing 8 people and injuring 35 others.
The accident occurred at 10:44am local time near a stretch of the Shanghai-Kunming expressway in southwest China’s Qinglong County, according to Chinese officials.
At least 8 people were killed and 35 others injured when the pipeline erupted, report Xinhua News.
8 die, 35 injured in a natural gas pipeline explosion in SW China's Guizhou Province pic.twitter.com/SNR7yqYGLZ
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) July 2, 2017
Some 53 firefighters had to be deployed to tackle the incident, report Sina. Meanwhile, traffic on the expressway was also brought to a standstill.
The blaze was brought under control before 1pm local time, according to a statement from Qianxinan traffic police.
Video obtained by New China TV, an affiliate of Xinhua News Agency, shows people running for safety in the immediate aftermath of the explosion.
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In the footage, a thick cloud of black smoke and flames can be seen rising from a row of buildings in an area believed to be the village of Xiaozhai.
