China: Fireworks car explodes, collapses highway
At around 9:00 a.m. on February 1, a truck carrying fireworks exploded on the Yichang Expressway Bridge, Sanmenxia section in Henan province, China, killing at least 5 people and injuring dozens.
Xinhua News Agency described a 10-meter-long truck loaded with fireworks as it was speeding through km 741 when it suddenly exploded. A section of the bridge about 80 meters long collapsed and fell from a height of 30 meters, dragging several heavy trucks passing over the bridge down with it. The explosion also damaged the adjacent lane and bridge railing.
Trucks fell from a height of 30m - Photo: qq.com
The scene of the explosion was like a battlefield. Under the bridge, in the thick smoke and dust, dozens of large and small vehicles were lying around. The firework truck, which was over 10 meters long, and several heavy trucks fell down below, lying haphazardly, the front of the car was thrown in one place, the body of the car was in another place, the wheels were upside down. The explosive force of the firecrackers threw about 25 other cars traveling in the same direction into the ditch on the side of the road.
The force of the explosion shattered many windows in the nearby Mien Tri service area. As of 3 p.m. the same day, the rescue team had only removed six damaged cars from the scene and taken 15 injured people to the hospital.
"The current death toll is only preliminary, the exact number will have to wait until the scene is cleared," said Nhiem Chien Chau, a local official.
The Yichang Bridge is located on the G30 highway, China's longest road at nearly 4,400km, connecting the western border with Kazakhstan and the Yellow Sea. The accident caused serious traffic congestion in the area. News of this horrific accident quickly spread on major Chinese media outlets at a time when many highways are crowded as hundreds of millions of people return to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year. This is also the time when Chinese companies transport fireworks for sale. Authorities are investigating the destination of the truck carrying the fireworks.
According to Reuters, the explosion happened so suddenly that hundreds of workers were unable to react. Most of the casualties were caused by broken glass or falling bricks. The three lower floors of the building were completely damaged after the explosion.
Authorities fear many more people may still be trapped in the rubble after the explosion. Hundreds of rescue workers and sniffer dogs are searching for survivors. President Pena Nieto, who visited the scene, ordered the search to continue “until the last piece of debris”.
According to Tuoi Tre - DT
