19 Dead, 172 Hurt as Tanker Truck Explodes on China Highway

Firefighters look for victims in damaged buildings in the aftermath of a tanker truck explosion near a highway in Wenling in eastern China's Zhejiang province early on June 14, 2020. Chinatopix via AP

A tanker truck exploded on a highway in southeastern China on Saturday, killing 19 people, injuring at least 172 others, with 24 of them in severe condition, authorities said.

Locals said the explosion has destroyed much of a nearby village, causing residential buildings and factories to collapse and dozens of cars to get burned.

Serial Explosion

The truck carrying liquefied gas exploded around 4:45 p.m. on June 13 when it just left the Shenyang-Haikou Expressway in Wenling city, Zhejiang Province, local authorities announced on its official social media account.