Battery blast kills two aboard boat

Two people have been killed and two others injured in a boat blast on Saturday morning in east China's Jiangsu Province, local authorities said.

After a spot investigation, police and work safety watchdogs in Yizheng City have confirmed that the blast was caused by the boat's lead-acid battery, and ruled out the possibility of sabotage, according to sources with the Yizheng government.

The accident occurred around 11 a.m. in Hongshan Sports Park of Yizheng, when four people on the boat fell into the water after the blast, said the city government.

All four were injured and rushed to hospital. As of 4:30 p.m., two of them have died after emergency treatment failed and the two others remained hospitalized, including one child who was slightly injured.

Operation of the park has since been suspended for further investigation, sources said.