Despite the videos published on social networks, neither North Korea nor China has confirmed the catastrophe or the death of those present.
A new deflagration would have taken place in North Korea on the border with China. According to a citizen’s video, the outbreaks reportedly occurred near an orphanage and the tourist office; Local media indicate that it was due to gasoline accumulated in a house.
Neither North Korea nor China had made statements confirming or denying what happened on Monday in the North Korean city of Hyesan. The Association Press leaked a video in which there is apparently a smaller-scale explosion confirming at least 12 to 15 deaths and several injuries. This could be verified by the South Korean press, but not by the AP independently.
The video was shot by Wang Bo, a travel agent who reported taking it from a park in the Chinese border town of Changbai. “I saw explosions and there were many curious people looking in that direction. We don’t know why there were explosions», said Wang.
“Corea del Norte”:
Porque reportan explosiones en el límite entre Corea del Norte y China. pic.twitter.com/pCXMNAPGI6— ¿Por qué es Tendencia? (@porkestendencia) August 5, 2020
Despite graphic evidence, in Seoul, the South Korean spy agency and the Unification Ministry, which manages relations with North Korea, said they could not at first affirm the blast reports. Unification Ministry spokesman Yoh Sangkey told the press that he regretted any possible victims.
Gasoline
Although there are videos and no authority has been able to confirm it, a Seoul-based newspaper, Daily NK, said Wednesday that 15 people had died and the number could rise, according to sources in North Korea that he did not mention. The media had previously indicated that the incident had started with gasoline accumulated in a house in Hyesan, which ignited and caused an explosion of a nearby gas cylinder, which in turn triggered a series of explosions of gas cylinders connected to other houses.
South Korean state media, which rarely lists fatal accidents in the country, did not comment on the alleged blasts.