Death toll in Xinjiang oil tank explosion rises to 5

By Chen Qian  |   2008-6-26  |     ONLINE EDITION

THE death toll in yesterday's oil tank explosion rose to five in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region today, Xinhua news agency reported.

Two others were still missing, it said.

The director of the region's Safety Working Supervision Administrative Bureau said rescue teams are searching for the missing people.

The explosion happened about 4pm yesterday at Fukang Iron Coke Co Ltd, about 60 kilometers east of Fukang City. The oil tank contained 2,000 cubic meters of coal tar.

The report said Fukang Iron is a private company set up in 2004. It has an annual capacity of 50,000 tons of anhydrous tar treatment and can recycle 3,500 tons of crude benzol a year.

The company said yesterday that it had diverted the coal tar leaking from the shattered tank to safe areas and sealed the tank with foam material. So far, no pollution was detected in underground water and nearby rivers, the report said.

Chemicals in the air such as benzene, toluene and dimethylbenzene had exceeded standards, the report said.