Twenty-six people were injured, including more than 10 in serious conditions, in a clash for a factory site in south China's Guangdong Province, local officials confirmed Friday.

The scuffle occurred at about 9:00 AM Thursday, involving more than 300 people from the takeover party, the Shenzhen Qiushuo Investment and Development Co., Ltd, and a Beijing-based pipe producer, which claimed it rent the site of the Shenzhen Taiyang PCCP Co. Ltd, said a spokesman with the municipal government.

The factory site, formerly owned by the Shenzhen Taiyang, which manufactured prestressed concrete cylinder pipes, was put on auction by a court in Maoming City. The Qiushuo company won the bid.

Employees with the Beijing company set off explosives, hurled stones to the receiver, and ignited an explosive liquid, with the presence of 70 policemen from local courts. Security staff with Qiushuo were injured, the spokesman said.

Later, more than 300 people from both companies began fighting with iron tubes. The brawl was held back by the police force 20 minutes later, he said.

The spokesman did not reveal the identities of the injured.

Some suffering slight injuries have been released from hospital. Police are investigating the case.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2009)