Oil tank explodes in Dalian

An oil tank has exploded at the PetroChina refinery in northeastern China, leaving two people in critical condition and another two missing. The injured were rushed to hospital for treatment. The fire was put out in just two hours and an investigation is underway.

It's been a sleepless night for the firefighters at the petrochemical plant. The fire was put out hours ago, but the tar oil spill is extensive. The challenge now is the clean-up, while the investigation is in the initial stage.

This is not the first time that such explosion happened in Dalian. If we chase back to 2010 and 2011, there have been several explosions linked with the same oil refinery and petrochemical plant. It is obvious that the safety and fire-prevention measures here might not have been up to the accepted standards.

The video footage shot by the firefighting team shows just how deadly a single oil tank explosion can be. Although tar oil is less inflammable than crude oil, the blast is still powerful.

"We heard three massive bangs when the blast happened. The second time I could feel a stream of hot air on my back, so everyone started to run. Before the explosion, we were doing some painting work at another tank nearby," said Wang Guanyu, a worker at the Dalian Petrochemical Plant of China National Petroleum Corp.

The exploded tank was undergoing inspection and maintenance before the accident. So far, the company hasn't given any statement of the exact cause of the blast. And given the company's safety record, people are wondering if this accident will be the last.