A 35-ton oil tanker exploded Monday afternoon when loading coal tar in a coking mill in Wuhai City of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, killing one person and injuring three others, firemen said.

Six fire engines were dispatched to put out the ensuing fire. Local safety supervision officials are still investigating the cause of the accident.

The tanker was registered in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Wads of bank notes, valued at more than 100,000 yuan (US$12,500), on the vehicle were burned to pieces.

According to the firemen, a man sleeping inside the tanker was killed on the spot when the blast took place at about 12:30. The three injured were rushed to hospital.

(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2005)