A gas pipeline operated by China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) exploded on Sunday night in Guizhou province in China, injuring 9 to 24 people, according to local media.

A gas leak occurred at 11:20pm local time on Sunday, at the gas pipeline in the Shazi district of Qianxinan city, and this resulted in an explosion and a fire, Xinhua said. But the automatic safety control systems closed the pipeline, and the fire was out as of 2:30am on Monday. 

Nine people were seriously injured, and search and rescue is continuing.

But ThePaper.cn reported that at least 24 people were injured in the blast; three of them are in critical condition, and five—in very critical condition, reported RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.