A gas explosion killed two, left two missing and injured 53 at a tunnel in Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Tuesday.

The accident occurred at 4:20 p.m. at a tunnel site in an area slated to be submerged in Zipingpu water conservation project.

About 28 seriously injured workers have been transferred to larger hospitals in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, for better care. The remaining 25, who sustained lesser injures, were treated at local hospitals in Dujiangyan.

The first ten patients to arrive at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital and were in critical condition, said Hu Weijian, director of the first aid center with Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital.

Tearing Li Huaxu helped push his father to Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital. The 17-year-old and his father have worked in the tunnel for seven months. He was at home, only 50 meters from the tunnel entrance, at the time of the explosion.

"I heard a loud explosion sound and saw smoke and dust from the tunnel. My father was inside, so I rushed into the 40-meter tunnel for him and helped him and other injured out," he said.

"I've seen gas burning at the tunnel ceiling for three times, but I did not report it to the supervisors since I believed it was normal to have gas burning in tunnels," Li said.

Zipingpu water conservancy project is one of the top ten projects in China's West Development campaign. Construction began on the project three years ago and is slated to be completed in 2006. The reservoir is an important water sources for the ancient Dujiangyan irrigation facility. It serves for irrigation, power generation and flood control in the upper reaches of Minjiang River.

Source: Xinhua