Eight people died in an explosion at a quarry in southwest
China's Guizhou Province, work safety officials said
on Monday.
The explosion occurred at around 1:00 AM on Sunday at the quarry
of Huifeng Stone Material Factory in Poguan Village, Anlong County,
said work safety administration officials of the Bouyei-Miao
Autonomous Prefecture of Qianxinan.
The stone processing plant, which was licensed but still under
construction, carried out blasting last Friday, but some explosives
failed, an initial investigation by the administration showed.
Villagers said they heard a bang from the plant when contractor
Zhang Yunshu and others came to the quarry to clear material left
from the blasting operation.
Rescuers have recovered some of the remains, including some
clothes, and confirmed eight people, including Zhang, had died in
the accident.
The investigation into the cause of the accident is
continuing.
(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2007)