5 dead, 1 injured in Guizhou railway tunnel gas explosion

A gas explosion in Bijie, Guizhou province left five people dead and one injured on Tuesday, as reported by local authorities on Thursday.

The explosion occurred at around 12:00 pm on Tuesday during construction of a tunnel along the Xuyong-Bijie Railway in the Qixingguan district of Bijie. Six workers were trapped.

After the accident, the local government organized its emergency response, mine rescue, public security, health and railway departments to carry out rescue work. Five workers have been confirmed dead and the sixth is receiving treatment for injuries at the hospital. The cause of the accident is under investigation.