Oil tank explodes in Xinjiang, attack ruled out

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-12 14:11

URUMQI: An oil tank blew up at a chemical plant in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's restive Xinjiang region, on Sunday, but local police and refinery officials ruled out a deliberate attack.

"It is only a fire which was put out immediately," a refinery official said at the plant, about 35 km (21 miles) northeast of Urumqi.

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Refinery officials discovered the 10,000 cubic metre storage tank burning at about 10 am on Sunday, and it was extinguished by 10:30 am.

"According to our initial investigation, there were no deaths or injuries and deliberate causation can be excluded."

The refinery, belonging to Urumqi Chemical Co, a unit of China National Petroleum Co, parent of PetroChina, is operating normally.

"It was a natural explosion," said an officer at the Urumqi police station.