Two killed, 14 hurt as bombs damage buses

By Lydia Chen  |   2008-7-22  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

One of the No. 54 buses damaged by a bomb blast is taken away in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, yesterday. At least two people were killed and 14 injured in two separate explosions. More in photo gallery

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BOMBS on two buses killed at least two people and injured 14 in downtown Kunming, the capital city of southwest China's Yunnan Province yesterday morning.

Police said the explosions on the two No. 54 buses were deliberate. They dismissed previous media reports of a third explosion in the provincial capital.

Authorities are now stepping up checks on all roads, railways, waterways and airports in search of the suspect, or suspects responsible, Yunnan.cn, the official news Website of the Yunnan government, said.

Last night all but one of the 14 people injured in the explosions were out of life-threatening danger, the health department of Yunnan said.

Yunnan police said the bombs contained nitroamine explosives. The bombs had been placed in the front of the first bus and the rear of the second bus.

Ministry of Public Security experts arrived in Kunming yesterday to help investigate.

The first blast occurred when a No. 54 bus exploded after pulling over at the Panjiawan stop near the intersection of Renmin Road W. and Xichang Road at 7:10am.

More than 20 passengers escaped from the bus immediately after the blast.

The blast killed a 29-year-old woman named Wang Dezhi at the scene and injured 10 others. One of the injured is in a serious condition.

Wang, a native of Chuxiong City of Yunnan, and her husband were on the way home to celebrate their child's birthday when the bomb exploded.

Wang's husband was slightly injured and is being treated in hospital.

Most of the injured were women and elderly people, the Website said.

It quoted unnamed witnesses as saying there were chaotic scenes after the blast. All the windows on the bus were shattered and glass shards were scattered all over the street.

Just one hour later, another bomb exploded on another No. 54 bus with about 30 passengers, according to China Central Television Station.

This time one person was killed and four were injured.