Blast on truck carrying explosives in northern China kills 7

BEIJING — Seven people were killed and 13 injured when a truck carrying more than 5 tons of explosives blew up in northern China.

The Zhen’an county government in Shaanxi province said on its official website that the blast struck just before midnight on Tuesday just outside an explosives warehouse.

The warehouse operator works in explosive operations for mining and construction purposes. The government statement said the cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

The official Xinhua News Agency said victims included truck drivers, warehouse staff and security guards.

China has made major strides in industrial safety in recent years, although large-scale accidents still occur. Some are linked to corruption and lax enforcement, such as a 2015 blast at a chemical warehouse in the port city of Tianjin that killed 173 people.     /muf

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