(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-14 11:05

GUANGZHOU - Police in south China are still trying to identify exactly what caused an explosion that killed seven people and injured 36 on Thursday.

The blast, which damaged buildings up to 100 meters away, occurred as workers were unloading freight from two trucks at a construction site in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, at around 3:40 p.m..

All of the injured, including two people who were seriously hurt, were sent to hospital for treatment. Six were still in hospital on Friday.

Witnesses said there were deaths at a nearby garage, where fire fighters extinguished a chemical fire.

Residents in a seven-story apartment block saw most of their windows and door glass shattered.

About 100 fire fighters and police took more than an hour to extinguish the fire. Police are still investigating the explosion.