At least eight people, including coal mine workers, were killed and 17 others injured when an explosion ripped through a residential area in central China’s Henan province, local officials said today.
The explosion, which occurred at about 8:40 pm local time last night, hit part of a village housing coal mine workers and others in Pingdingshan, Zhang Wei, deputy governor of Shilong district under which the region falls, said.
Illegally stored explosives in a residential community were the cause of the explosion, Mr. Zhang said, citing an initial investigation.
Local police have detained 25 people, including the owner of the Tianshun Coal Mine, in connection with the illegally stored explosives, Mr. Zhang said.
Eighteen people, including several miners and their families, lived in a residential area located about two kilometres from the coal mine.
Eight of them were killed and the remaining ten were among 17 injured in the blast, Xinhua reported.
Police have cordoned off the explosion site, where destroyed homes have been fully razed by shovel loaders.
The blast also severely damaged dozens of nearby homes.
“I fell asleep and suddenly there came a sound of thunder above the rooftop,” recalled Tian Dexiu, who lives about 10 metres from the explosion site.
“We rushed outside and there was dust all around in the courtyard. The dust settled an hour later,” Tian said.
The explosion also damaged a nearby kindergarten and injured a child.
“At first, I thought it was an earthquake. So I woke up five children and led them downstairs,” said Wang Lina, a teacher who sleeps on the second floor of the kindergarten.
