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China oil pipe blast: Qingdao pipeline blast 'kills 44' | |
(about 17 hours later) | |
At least 44 people in China have been killed in an explosion after a leaking oil pipeline caught fire in the city of Qingdao, state media has reported. | |
Xinhua quoted officials who said workers were trying to repair the pipeline at the time of Friday's blast. | |
Pictures of the scene showed shattered concrete slabs and black smoke rising. More than 100 firefighters were involved in putting out the fire. | |
The pipeline is owned by Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner. | |
The leak was spotted early on Friday, and the explosion happened several hours later, the Qingdao government said on its official microblog. | |
"We will investigate the incident with responsibility and give timely reports," Sinopec said in a statement quoted by the Associated Press news agency. | "We will investigate the incident with responsibility and give timely reports," Sinopec said in a statement quoted by the Associated Press news agency. |
A man quoted by Xinhua said he had only seen something similar to the blast "in a disaster film". | A man quoted by Xinhua said he had only seen something similar to the blast "in a disaster film". |
The authorities have ruled out terrorism but say the incident remains under investigation. | The authorities have ruled out terrorism but say the incident remains under investigation. |
Correspondents say that the blast ripped roads apart, turned cars over and sent thick black smoke billowing over the eastern coastal city. | Correspondents say that the blast ripped roads apart, turned cars over and sent thick black smoke billowing over the eastern coastal city. |
Reports say that the number of dead could rise - at least 136 people were injured. | |
Because the scene of Friday morning's explosion was close to the coast, barriers were been erected to stop oil leaking into the sea, reports said. |