A truck carrying 60 tons of liquified natural gas (LNG) collided with a car and exploded in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar. The explosion occurred near the Dunjingarav market in the early hours of Wednesday, local time, starting a fire which rapidly spread to a nearby building, the Mongolian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on its website.
According to preliminary reports, six people were killed, including three firefighters; 14 others, among them three children, were hospitalized. Most of those in the hospital are being treated for burns, NEMA reported.
The explosion was so strong that the truck was reportedly thrown around 40 meters (130 feet) away. Rescue teams were dispatched to the scene and the fire was extinguished, it added.
Dramatic video footage of the accident shows firefighters battling the flames well into the night when another series of explosions occurred, damaging the facades of the buildings and blowing out windows. At one point, a huge ball of fire shot into the air as the people filming the video scream.
Residents of a nearby apartment block were temporarily relocated, NEMA said, adding that the roads in the area had been closed as the authorities worked to clean up the debris.
Around 30 cars burned as a result of the blast and the subsequent fire. Images shared by NEMA show emergency services at the scene, with the street engulfed in flames. The photos show burned-out vehicles and widespread damage to the street, with windows blown out at a nearby school.