Gas pipeline explosion in China kills 9, injures 10

An explosion at a gas pipeline in southwest China killed nine people and injured at least 10 others.

An explosion at a gas pipeline in southwest China killed nine people on Friday and injured at least 10 others, the official Xinhua news agency said.

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The blast occurred before dawn in Renshou County in Sichuan province, Xinhua said.

The pipeline is owned by the China National Petroleum Corporation, the country's biggest state-owned oil company, it said. The cause of the explosion was under investigation. China's government has repeatedly promised to make work safety a priority.

According to government figures, industrial accidents claimed 136,700 lives in 2004.