Five people were killed when a tanker carrying liquefied gas caught fire and exploded on a highway in northwest China's Shaanxi Province Tuesday, police and witnesses said on Wednesday.

The truck, from the neighboring Gansu Province, was en route to Fengxian County when it flipped, caught fire and exploded at 2:15 am underneath a railroad bridge, traffic police in Fengxian County said.

The victims included two drivers in the truck and a family of three living close to the highway. Another villager was seriously injured.

People near the accident said they were woken up by a loud bang and felt their houses rocking.

"I thought it was an earthquake and ran out to check it out," said Li Guozhi, a villager in Huangniupu town.

The explosion destroyed Li's roof and window panes and all his family's newly harvested corn, which was being aired in the courtyard. At least 10 other houses in the neighborhood were damaged by the fire.

The accident also cut off power and communication in town and disrupted highway as well as railway traffic headed to Sichuan Province for nearly 12 hours.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2008)