Traffic stopped on highway in Xinjiang by accidents

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-01 16:12

URUMQI -- A highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was disrupted by two accidents Sunday.

A fire department with the Urumqi City Bureau of Public Security said a truck traveling along the Turpan-Urumqi-Dahuangshan highway overturned near the Dabancheng wind mill around 6 am.No one was injured, however the accident caused a 10-km-long traffic jam.

At the end of the line of traffic, a tanker,loaded with 15 tonnes of methanol, rear-ended another vehicle causing a chemical spill.

Two people from the tanker were seriously injured and taken to the hospital.

The tanker was towed to the side of the highway for unloading.

It is not known when the traffic will begin moving again.

Police are investigating the cause of both accidents.

The Turpan-Urumqi-Dahuangshan highway is an important road which connects the northern and southern parts of Xinjiang. It is divided into two parts by the Tianshan Mountain Range.