(Forbes, Oct 29, 2006) An oil tank of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) that was under construction exploded last night, killing at least 12 people, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The blast happened in Dushanzi district of Kelamayi city in Northwest China's Xinjiang at 19:20 pm yesterday, the report said.

Rescuers have found 12 bodies on the site of the explosion, where 24 workers were working before the accident, it said.

The exploded tank, which has a volume of about 100,000 cubic meters, is intended to store crude oil bumped to China through the Kazakhstan-China oil pipelines, according to Xinhua.

The explosion did not affect the operation of the Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline, it said, citing unspecified sources.

The chances for a second blast or serious environmental pollution are very slim, the report said.

Source:Forbes