Firefighters in Wenzhou put out a blaze and rescue trapped people after a truck carrying gasoline exploded, causing the collapse of some houses in Wenling, Zhejiang province, June 13, 2020. (COURTESY OF WENZHOU FIREFIGHTER BRIGADE)

BEIJING – The State Council Work Safety Committee of China Sunday urged authorities to further step up efforts to supervise the transportation of dangerous goods, a day after a truck loaded with liquefied gas exploded on a highway in Zhejiang province, killing at least 19.

The accident occurred at around 4:46 pm Saturday when the tanker truck traveling from Ningbo to Wenzhou exploded in Wenling city on a section of the Shenyang-Haikou Expressway, local authorities said. A second blast happened when parts of the truck later fell onto a workshop near the expressway. 

READ MORE: 19 killed in East China tank truck blast

The State Council Work Safety Committee ordered traffic police to impose tougher law enforcement to eliminate deadly safety hazards on the roads

The death toll rose to 19 by 9 am on Sunday, with 171 people hospitalized, Zhu Minglian, deputy mayor of Wenling, said at a news conference on Sunday morning.

The explosion broke the windows of nearby houses and apartments. It also left a 10-meter crack on the highway. 

The accident has caused severe damage to people’s lives and properties. Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, Zhu added.

A special work group sent by the Ministry Emergency Management arrived at the scene in the early hours of Sunday. 

More than 547 people and six canines from local fire and rescue departments have been involved in the search and rescue mission. They managed to rescue 23 people, the ministry said in a statement released on Sunday morning.

The State Council Work Safety Committee also ordered traffic police to impose tougher law enforcement to eliminate deadly safety hazards on the roads, the statement added.

In April, the committee published a three-year plan to better administrate work safety nationwide. According to the plan, it’s compulsory for all vehicles carrying dangerous materials to have trackers installed by 2022 to warn the drivers and administrators about possible collisions.