This archive report was first published on 14 June 2020.
On June 13, 2020, a devastating tanker truck explosion occurred on a highway in eastern China, claiming the lives of at least 18 people and leaving nearly 200 others injured.
The blast, which happened on Saturday afternoon, caused nearby homes and factories to collapse, sending huge clouds of black smoke billowing into the air as flames engulfed several cars.
According to China's emergency management department, 189 injured people were still being treated in hospital on Sunday morning, after the accident near Wenling city in the eastern province of Zhejiang.
Local authorities confirmed that the truck was loaded with liquefied gas.
State media published dramatic video footage of the accident, showing a huge ball of fire shooting into the air as people screamed.
Another video showed the remains of the tanker and several truck tyres smashed into a building, which had been reduced to rubble.
State news agency Xinhua reported that there was a second blast when the truck fell onto a workshop near the expressway after the first explosion.
Emergency responders were still conducting search and rescue operations, it added.
