The death toll has risen to 52 following Friday’s devastating blast in the Chinese city of Qingdao where a leaking oil pipeline caught fire.
State officials say at least 11 people remain unaccounted for with more than 130 hospitalised.
According to reports, the leak was initially spotted early on Friday. The explosion, which is said to have happened several hours later, sent plumes of debris and vapours into the air.
More than 100 firefighters tackled the fire. With local residents likening the blast to something akin to the scenes from a disaster movie, damage to underground infrastructure left thousands of them without water and electricity.
Oil Pipeline Owners To Investigate
The pipeline is owned by Sinopec, China’s largest oil refiner. “We will investigate the incident with responsibility and give timely reports,” Sinopec said in a statement quoted by the Associated Press news agency.
President Xi Calls For Greater Industrial Safety
President Xi Jinping visited the eastern port city where he met the families of those who died in the blast.
Xi called for greater attention to safety at industrial sites, saying severe punishment would weigh down on anyone found responsible for the incident.
Terrorism has been ruled out but the authorities say the incident remains under investigation.
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