China pipeline blast leaves 22 dead

Twenty-two people have been killed and an unknown number of others injured in an oil pipeline explosion in China’s eastern province of Shandong.

Local officials said the blast took place in the coastal city of Qingdao on Friday, shortly after workers tried to repair a leak in the pipeline, run by state-owned oil giant Sinopec.

The number of injured has not been confirmed.

The powerful explosion destroyed roads and turned cars over in the city.

Officials say the number of casualties may rise.

Barriers have been set up to prevent oil from leaking into the sea.

The lack of proper law enforcement and the high level of corruption in China play a large role in the country’s poor industrial safety record.

Reports say that more than 28,000 people were killed or went missing as a result of workplace accidents in the first half of 2013.