Working group dispatched to Shanxi after residential complex explosion

BEIJING, April 30 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Emergency Management has sent a working group to aid rescue work and investigations following a residential complex explosion on Wednesday in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province.

According to the ministry, casualties have been reported in the blast, which occurred in a neighborhood of Xiaodian District at around 1 p.m. Local authorities said 17 people were injured, with four in critical condition and three discharged after treatment.

Upon receiving the accident report, the ministry immediately conducted a video conference to coordinate on-site response efforts and dispatched the working group.

Efforts should be made to conduct thorough floor-by-floor searches, urgently verify the number of trapped individuals and provide full assistance to the injured, the ministry noted, calling for a scientific and safe rescue approach to prevent secondary accidents.

Local fire and rescue teams have dispatched 210 personnel and 43 vehicles to the scene, according to the ministry. ■