Belgium gas pipe explosion kills 15

A MASSIVE natural gas pipeline blast that could be felt six miles away killed at least 15 people and hurled bodies into a field near Brussels yesterday.

Firefighters and police responding to a report of a leak were among the dead and about 200 other people were injured, officials said.

The explosion in the industrial park in Ghislenghien, 20 miles south-east of the Belgian capital, happened after construction workers pierced an underground gas distribution line.

The blast sent enormous orange flames billowing into the sky and shook the ground for miles around. The flames charred cars and wheat fields 500 yards away.

Defence Minister Andre Flahaut, on a visit to the scene of the blast, said 15 people were known to have died. Health Ministry spokesman Michele Vanderplaetsen said about 40 of the injured were critically hurt and were taken to hospitals as far away as Paris.

Witnesses said that the blast shook the ground like an earthquake,

"I had the impression that a plane was going to crash on the house," said Carine Vanus in Ath, six miles away. "When we got out on the street we saw a billow of white smoke and the sound was deafening."

Elise Hoffmann, who lives two miles away in Silly, said her whole house trembled and she ran outside to see flames shooting more than 300 feet into the air.

Residents were advised to stay indoors with their windows and doors shut to keep out the heavy smoke that hung over the area, but the Health Ministry said it was not toxic and no evacuation was ordered.

The E429 motorway, which links the Belgian capital Brussels with Lille in France, was closed following the explosion.

Army units were called in to help co-ordinate the disaster response, involving dozens of ambulances and six military helicopters to ferry victims to hospitals, including a Belgian military burns unit.

France sent 100 medical specialists to help treat victims of the blast and evacuate the injured.

Gas distributor Fluxys said that a leak was reported on the pipeline, which runs from the Belgian port of Zeebrugge to France, about 30 minutes before the explosion.

Firefighters and police who were investigating the leak were among the dead, according to the Interior Ministry. The company said disruptions to gas supply were minor.

Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt cut short his Tuscan holiday and was flown to the scene. He was to be joined by King Albert's son Prince Laurent.

The Vatican sent a telegram of condolences to Archbishop Karl-Josef Rauber, the papal envoy to Belgium.

"Having learned of the tragedy... the Pope has asked me to let you know that he is joined in prayer to the persons who have been struck by this drama," the telegram said.

"There are many serious burn victims," Dr Jean Francois Breckx said after the blast. "There are some 20 or so that are fighting for their lives."