Devastated city block

"The whole building shook for several seconds. Tables and closets turned over and window panes were shattered, " said a man surnamed Ding who lives on the 16th floor of a residential building within 200 meters from the explosion.

"It's was very frightening. I thought it was an earthquake and rushed down out of the building. Lots of people rushed outdoors," Ding said.

"Our homes were seriously damaged. The buildings have been deformed," said another resident surnamed Jia.

Buildings within a radius of 100 meters of the explosion were seriously damaged. A bus near the site was destroyed by fire. Buildings, which were being demolished before the explosion, collapsed from the force of the explosion. Nearby stores, restaurants, gas stations and other buildings were all damaged and have suspended service.

Hundreds of fire-fighters and rescuers are working at the site. The police have sealed off the site in case of further gas poisoning and explosions.

"The impact came from the front. Before I knew it, my head, nose and leg were injured," said a bus passenger surnamed Lin.

An elderly woman, surnamed Xu, was taking her grandson to a hospital by bus before the explosion.

"We saw thick smoke ahead of us and the air suddenly became hard to breathe," Xu said. She and other passengers on the bus escaped from the vehicle and ran from the fire.

Hardly had Xu and her grandson run 100 meters, the blast went off. "The impact put down everyone. My grandson wet his pants."