Explosion Kills 2, Injures 17 in Southern China

At least 2 people have been killed and 17 people, including 10 children have been injured in an explosion outside a school in China's southern city of Guilin.  The injured children have all been taken to hospital and one is reported to be in a critical condition.  Eyewitnesses said the the explosion happened as a man riding on a motorized tricycle rode past Balijie Primary School.

The motorized flatbed tricycle caught fire and exploded around 7am this morning as children and parents were arriving for school.  A number of vehicles nearby were also set alight, and the blast blew out windows of cars and surrounding buildings.  Footage aired on CCTV news showed the road outside the school littered with debris as police collected evidence.  Motorized trikes that one involved are a common sight in China, and are frequently used to transport good around the cities.

"First, the motorcycle caught on fire and then it exploded with a huge sound that could be heard from far, far away," a witness told Xinhua news agency.  The blast follows a number of knife attacks outside of schools in China, and police have begun a citywide search looking for illegal explosives.  Security at schools has been tightened and a crackdown on the transportation of explosive materials is in force.

Grusesome images from the scene are have been posted on Sina Weibo, so look away now if you are of a nervous disposition.