Story By: John Feng, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
Video Credit: AsiaWire
This is the moment a gas plant explosion blows out the windows of a nearby restaurant sending customers and their food falling to the ground in a blast that was felt for up to two miles in all directions.
The catastrophic accident happened in the city of Yima in Central China’s Henan Province at an air separate unit belonging to the Henan Coal Gas Group Co Ltd.
The city’s Emergency Management Office has shut down production at the gas plant following the explosion at 5:45pm local time today (19th July).
Pictures Credit: AsiaWire
According to a city government statement, two people presumed to be plant workers are unaccounted for.
Footage taken in the immediate aftermath of the blast shows windows shattered and doors blown off their hinges up to 2 miles away from the factory, with images also showing a homeowner suffering severe burns as a result of the apparently hot shock wave.
A massive mushroom cloud can be seen looming over the city of Yima as parked cars, trees, buildings and pedestrians all appear to have been damaged or injured during the explosion.
Chaotic scenes from inside a local hospital have also been shared online, with officials as yet unable to give a proper estimate of the number of casualties the accident has caused.
Investigations are still ongoing.
It is unclear what triggered the blast.
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