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Witnesses Recall Explosion Scene
Xishan Road, lined with warehouses and vehicle repair shops, is the main thoroughfare on the outskirts of Urumqi. Traffic on the road has been heavily congested lately as a result of repair work, especially between 7-8 pm, the local rush hour.
Most of the warehouse workers had finished their work and had gone home, leaving only a few people on the night shift when a vehicle carrying explosives blew up outside, killing 60 and injuring scores more.
"I was sitting behind my desk by the window and watching the congested road when the explosion occurred about 100 metres away from the warehouse," recalled a staff worker at the Urumqi Cotton, Hemp and Local Produce Company, who asked not to be named.
"I first heard a deafening bang, then felt the window glass flowing into my face," he said, his face bearing two one-centimetre long scars, one on his left cheek and the other on his forehead.
"The blast blew down the whole facade of the warehouse. I saw pieces of vehicle parts flying in the sky. I tried to make a phone call but neither the office phone nor my mobile phone worked."
About 400 metres from the site, residents felt the ground shake when they heard the explosion. Some residents said they saw a big mushroom cloud rise from the accident site and then fires broke out. Several metal doors were twisted by the blast. Many people saw a huge black ring rise into the sky.
The cause of the incident is under investigation by local police. (Chinadaily)
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