At least two people were injured and two others went missing following oil residue tanks blasts today at a PetroChina outlet in northeast China, while a major fire destroyed a grain granary in the same region.
Two tanks containing residual diesel oil exploded at the PetroChina outlet in the city of Dalian in Liaoning Province, triggering a fire, firefighters with the city said.
The injured were rushed to a hospital for treatment, while the two others have been reported missing, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Dozens of fire trucks were mobilised and the fire was put out by 4 pm (local time).
The cause of the blast is under investigation.
Rescuers are searching the area for casualties.
Meanwhile, a major fire destroyed a grain granary in north-eastern Heilongjiang Province.
An investigations into the fire in the granary base in Huayuan Township of Lindian County has been ordered.
About 1,600 workers were mobilised to put out the fire as it was spotted in the weekend Luo Hongquan, deputy director of the base told state-run Xinhua news agency.
The fire later spread to 78 barns, with a total grain reserve of 47,000 tonnes, because of the strong wind and high temperature on the day, and was finally contained today, he said.
Among the affected barns, 60 were filled with corns, and 18 with rice.
Luo said one to two tonnes of grains in each barn were burnt, and total economic loss and the cause of the fire is being investigated.
Established in 1961, the barn base has an area of 220,000 square metres and is operated by the Heilongjiang branch of the China Grain Reserves Corporation.
A total of 140,000 tonnes of grains were stocked there.
