A truck carrying gunpowder exploded on Saturday in Hubei province, damaging three other trucks and local buildings.

Four people died from the blast and at least six have been injured. The explosion, on the Beijing-Zhuhai highway near Xiaogan City, left a 30-foot-long crack as deep as a foot.

Over half of the nearby buildings were damaged, with at least 20 villagers injured. Smashed windows covered all the pavements with glass.

Villagers were advised to leave their homes for fear of collapse. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.