5 killed in residential explosions

Gas suspected as dual blasts destroy building; 259 people are resettled

Five people were killed and another 25 were injured in two powerful explosions that ripped through an apartment building in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Saturday.

The blasts happened at around 2 pm in a multistory residential building, which was connected to two others, in the Xiangyang residential community in Tumd Right Banner, Baotou city.

The local government first reported the death toll at three during a news conference on Saturday evening, but said the number had increased to five in a Sunday morning update. Among the injured, four were in critical condition.

The rescue effort has now ended, the government said on Sunday.

The latest two victims were dead when they were found by searchers combing the rubble. According to China Central Television, one of the two bodies was found with the help of sniffer dogs and electronic instruments on Saturday evening.

Rubble around the victim was moved with and excavator. The body was found at around 6 am on Sunday.

Teams of experts on electrical power, water, fire control, work safety and the environment arrived at the scene on Saturday to help prevent any secondary disaster, the officials said.

Weather complicated the search and rescue effort, with snow falling on Saturday evening.

The explosions caused the middle of the three connected buildings in the complex to collapse. The other two buildings were also damaged, as were vehicles parked in the area. A total of 83 homes were damaged, and 259 people have been resettled, the government said.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the building in which the blast occurred had virtually disappeared. Windows in the adjacent buildings were shattered.

"My son, daughter-in-law and I were all injured," a woman surnamed Li told China News Agency at a local hospital. The family lived in an apartment building opposite the explosion.

"I heard two loud explosions. One of the windows of my home and the burglar-proof door were displaced. I was shocked," she said.

The owner of a nearby shop witnessed the aftermath of the explosions.

"Some residents escaped from the building with slight injuries after the first explosion," the person said. "After the second blast a few minutes later, I saw some more residents come out, and they were covered with blood."

Earlier reports indicated that the explosion might have originated in the building's natural gas piping system, but the government said the cause is still being investigated.

Contact the writers at houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn