9 dead as exploding fireworks truck destroys bridge in Henan

Fireworks in a cargo truck exploded on a highway bridge in Henan yesterday morning, killing at least nine people and bringing down an 80-metre section of bridge.

The truck and seven other vehicles, including a truck loaded with 10 cars, fell more than 30 metres into a dry river in Mianchi county, local authorities said.

The victims were taken to several hospitals in the nearby city of Yima . Xinhua said seven were killed at the scene and two died on the way to hospital. By 9pm, 11 people were listed as injured, with four in serious condition, a provincial official news portal reported, citing the rescue command at the scene.

There were conflicting reports on casualties and the cause of the accident. An early report on state radio put the death toll at 26. By evening, state television speculated whether the bridge had collapsed first, triggering the blast .

But late last night the rescue command said an initial investigation suggested the blast caused the collapse, but they were still trying to determine what set off the explosion, Xinhua said.

Investigators from the Ministry of Public Security and State Administration of Work Safety had been sent from Beijing to investigate, state TV reported.