Debris hangs on trees near the scene of a powerful explosionyesterday at an abandoned plastics and chemicals factory in Nanjing, capital of eastern China's Jiangsu Province. The blast killed at least 10 people and seriously injured 14 others. A motorist started a car engine, igniting gas that leaked from a propylene pipeline that was damaged when workers dismantled buildings at the plastics factory. At right, an injured man receives medicaltreatment at a hospital following the explosion.

A POWERFUL explosion at a factory in eastern China's Nanjing City yesterday left at least 10 people dead and hundreds injured, including 14 critically, the city government said.

Officials of the government of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, told a press conferenceyesterday evening that 10 people were killed and 14 others suffered serious injuries after the blast at 10:15am ripped through the abandoned plastics factory.

In addition, more than 120 people have been hospitalized, according to the official.

The death toll, which is based on the number of bodies so far recovered, was expected to climb because rescuers were searching for more victims and some injured people were reported to be in very critical condition.

Gas leak

The blast was caused by a gas leak after a propylene pipeline was damaged as workers dismantled factory buildings of the Nanjing No. 4 Plastics Factory, said a statement from the State Administration of Work Safety.

The explosion occurred when a motorist started a car engine at the scene, igniting the leaking gas, the administration said.

The pipeline, transporting explosive gas to the factory, was shut down, it said.

A man surnamed Ding, who lives on the 16th floor of a residential building within 200 meters from the explosion, said "the whole building shook for several seconds."

"Tables and closets turned over and window panes were shattered," Ding said.

"It was very frightening. I thought it was an earthquake and rushed down out of the building. Lots of people rushed outdoors."

"Our homes were seriously damaged," said another resident surnamed Jia. "The buildings have been deformed."

Buildings within a radius of 100 meters of the explosion were seriously damaged. A bus near the site was destroyed by fire. Buildings, which were being demolished before the explosion, collapsed from the force of the explosion.

Nearby stores, restaurants, gas stations and other buildings were all damaged and suspended service.

Hundreds of firefighters and rescuers were working at the site. The police sealed off the area in case of further gas poisoning and explosions.

"The impact came from the front," said a bus passenger surnamed Lin. "Before I knew it, my head, nose and leg were injured."

An elderly woman, surnamed Xu, was taking her grandson to a hospital by bus before the explosion.

"We saw thick smoke ahead of us and the air suddenly became hard to breathe," Xu said. She and other passengers on the bus escaped from the vehicle and ran from the fire.

• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)
• province [´prɔvins] n.省；领域；范围 (初中英语单词)
• seriously [´siəriəsli] ad.严肃；严重，重大 (初中英语单词)
• medical [´medikəl] a.医学的；医疗的 (初中英语单词)
• treatment [´tri:tmənt] n.待遇；对待；治疗 (初中英语单词)
• conference [´kɔnfərəns] n.讨论(会)；会谈 (初中英语单词)
• addition [ə´diʃən] n.加；加法；附加物 (初中英语单词)
• administration [əd,minis´treiʃən] n.管理(事务等)；经营 (初中英语单词)
• working [´wə:kiŋ] a.工人的；劳动的 (初中英语单词)
• explosion [ik´spləuʒən] n.爆炸；爆发；发作 (高中英语单词)
• critical [´kritikəl] a.批评的；关键性的 (高中英语单词)
• earthquake [´ə:θkweik] n.地震；大变动 (高中英语单词)
• resident [´rezidənt] a.居住的 n.居民 (高中英语单词)
• motorist [´məutərist] n.开汽车的人 (英语四级单词)
• explosive [ik´spləusiv] a.易爆炸的 n.炸药 (英语四级单词)
• elderly [´eldəli] a. 较老的，年长的 (英语四级单词)
• grandson [´grænsʌn] n.孙子；外孙子 (英语四级单词)
• vehicle [´vi:ikəl] n.车辆；媒介物 (英语四级单词)
• abandoned [ə´bændənd] a.被抛弃的；无约束的 (英语六级单词)
• radius [´reidiəs] n.辐射光线；半径范围 (英语六级单词)
• impact [´impækt] n.影响，作用；冲击 (英语六级单词)
• taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)