Oil tanker truck explodes in blast so massive that houses and factories collapse as four are killed and more than 50 injured in China
- Blasts of flames leapt above an oil tanker trunk when it exploded in east China
- Passersby were left running in fear from the fireball as it engulfed the highway
- Four people were killed and more than 50 left injured by the massive explosion
Four people have died and more than 50 are injured after an oil tanker truck erupted into a terrifying fireball in the middle of a highway today.
The force of the explosion sent factories and homes crashing to the ground near Wenling in east China.
Towering blasts of fire leapt into the air and clouds of black smoke engulfed several car wrecks, according to a government announcement on social media.
Dramatic video footage published by state media showed a huge ball of fire shooting into the air as people screamed.
In one clip, a large piece of debris shot into the air before crashing onto some nearby buildings.
The force of the explosion sent factories and homes crashing to the ground near Wenling in east China
Another video showed the remains of the tanker and several truck tyres smashed into a building which had been reduced to rubble.
Emergency responders were still battling to free trapped victims Saturday evening, and those who had suffered injuries were sent to hospital for treatment, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Multiple highway exits were closed, according to local police statements on social media.
Deadly road accidents are common in China, where traffic regulations are often flouted or go unenforced.
According to authorities 58,000 people were killed in accidents across the country in 2015 alone, the last available figures.
Towering blasts of fire leapt into the air and clouds of black smoke engulfed several car wrecks, according to a government announcement on social media
Dramatic video footage published by state media showed a huge ball of fire shooting into the air as people screamed
Emergency responders were still battling to free trapped victims Saturday evening, and injured people had been sent to hospital for treatment, state broadcaster CCTV reported
In one clip, a large piece of debris shot into the air before crashing onto some nearby buildings
Violations of traffic laws were blamed for nearly 90 percent of accidents that caused deaths or injuries that year.
Last year at least 36 people died and 36 others were injured in eastern China when a packed coach with a flat tyre collided with a truck.
The bus was at maximum capacity when it crossed into oncoming traffic and hit the freight truck on an expressway in eastern Jiangsu province, the Yixing public security bureau said at the time.
A preliminary investigation determined that the accident was caused by a flat tyre on the left front wheel of the bus, the bureau said in a statement.
The Changchun-Shenzhen expressway reopened after eight hours of rescue work.