Beijing: The death toll in the explosion at a hospital
complex in Yuanping city in north China's Shanxi Province
has risen to 27 while an unknown number of people
are still missing, local sources said today.
The explosion took place at about 2:25 a.M. Yesterday
in a garage of the staff hospital of Xuangang Coal
and Electricity Company in Yuanping.
Most of the victims were hospital staff and their
family members, Li Jianzhang, an official with the
Xuangang company said.
Li said his company had no idea how many people were
still missing, Xinhua news agency reported.
The explosion completely destroyed a two-storey residential
building and several small houses nearby. Buildings
within one kilometre from the garage were damaged
to certain extent and a five-storey medical staff
building was damaged seriously nearby.
The death toll might rise as rescue operation is
going on, rescuers said. The operation is expected
to complete by today.
The rescuers and medical teams arrived at the spot
shortly after the explosion.
Investigation into the cause of the explosion is
under way. |
