Explosion

Explosion in northern Guangdong kills ten people, mushroom cloud seen

Posted: 08/29/2012 4:54 pm

Yingde City in Qingyuan, northern Guangdong, was rocked by a deadly explosion on August 27th, according to the Southern Metropolis Daily. Three trucks carrying explosive material suddenly exploded while workers were unloading the deadly cargo from the last truck. Ten workers died, another is missing and nine civilians who were nearby are also hurt, according to the report. The force of the explosion was so strong it blew out windows of a nearby primary school and apartment complex.

Blasting is a regular occurrence in the Longshan quarry, which is on the east side of the Bei River in Yingde. According to a local official, everything was normal when the three trucks arrived and the workers began unloading the explosive material. But when the workers were on the final truck, a huge explosion and mushroom cloud emerged, frightening nearby residents.

A policeman involved in the investigation revealed that four of the dead workers had the necessary certification to carry explosive material, but the other five did not. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

Tagged: Bei RiverExplosionExplosive MaterialFatalitiesLongshan QuarryMushroom CloudQingyuanYingde City

Truck carrying 30 barrels of engine oil bursts into flames in Shenzhen

Posted: 08/27/2012 8:08 pm

A truck fully loaded with engine oil burst into flames in Shenzhen around 3pm last Thursday, according to the Southern Metropolis Daily, which said nobody was injured thanks to quick thinking from the driver.

The truck ignited by itself as the tires overheated, according to the driver named Mr. Chen. He tried to douse the flames using mineral water on hand, but it was no use. Eventually the flames grew, igniting the 30 barrels of engine oil he was transporting. Giving up, he quickly detached the front of the truck with his cargo, sparing himself and his truck.

The driver was unfamiliar with the area and tried to call police, but it took 30 minutes before they and the fire department arrived. Much of the engine oil flowed onto the Taishan Seaside Highway (Taishan Yanhai Gaosu), causing a major traffic jam. Firefighters were able to finally douse the flames after about an hour.

Cars were finally able to drive through that section of highway around 6pm, three full hours after the fire broke out.

Fortunately, nobody was hurt.

Tagged: Engine OilExplosionRoad Traffic IncidentTaishan Seaside HighwayTaishan Yanhai GaosuTiresTraffic JamTruck

Gas cylinder explodes, boy rescues his parents in Shenzhen

Posted: 06/29/2012 7:00 am

When we were children, many of us fantasized about growing up to become heroes. But few children perform heroic acts before they’ve grown up. 9 year-old Lin Hao helped rescue fellow victims of the Wenchuan earthquake of 2008. Now Shenzhen has a boy hero of its own.

A gas container exploded in the home of a Shenzhen family this week, and the parents were rescued by their 10 year-old son, Southern Metropolis Daily reports.

Mrs. Cai discovered a gas leak at her home in Hongxin Community, Bao An District at 7 p.m. on June 24. She tried to fix the valve of the container but failed. She asked her husband Mr. Chen to fix it, but the container exploded before he could do so.

“The explosion was like something out of the movies. I wanted to grab my wife, but there was a wall of flames between us,” said Mr. Chen. Chen received burns to over 40% of his body. Chen received burns over 68% of hers. The son sustained minor foot injuries after he ran down from upstairs to rescue his parents.

An investigation showed the explosion to be caused by an unqualified gas cylinder which was bought by Mr.Chen a week ago, “I know it doesn’t come from a regular manufacturer, but I bought it because it was cheaper,” he said. He bought it from a retailer called adlet, he doesn’t know where the manufacturer is.