Chinese market gas explosion kills 12

A gas blast at a market in central China has killed at least 12 and seriously injured another 37, China Central Television reported on Sunday.   

The explosion took place at about 6.30am at the Yanhu market in Shiyan, a city in Hubei province, when many local residents were having breakfast or buying vegetables in the market, according to the report. A total of 150 people have been rescued and 138 people were injured, the report added.   

It was the latest serious accident in China that caused multiple deaths. A chemical leak on Saturday killed at least eight people and injured another three in Guiyang, the capital of the southern province of Guizhou, on Saturday.Rescuers were shown at the scene working to free survivors while local residents responded to an urgent call to give blood at a local blood bank.   

A local trader told Beijing Youth Daily that she was woken up by the blast which was only 100 metres away from her shop.   

“Blood was splattered across the rubble, some people were covered in blood after being cut by broken glass.”   
Another witness identified by his surname Li told Shangyounews, an online news portal, that he was knocked over by the blast and hit by falling debris, but had to take a cab to get to hospital.   

“Last March, inspectors from a [local] gas company came to inquire about my shop and asked if I had smelt any natural gas leakage. I said no and they left after the inspection,” Li said.

BEIJING, (Courtesy South China Morning Post), June13, 2021