Beijing: At least 30 workers were killed and scores of others injured in two major accidents in China when, a scaffolding collapsed and an ethanol cylinder exploded, State media reported today (May 12, 2004).

At least 20 workers were killed after a 63-meter-tall scaffold collapsed at a construction site in Anyang city of Central China's Henan province this morning, Xinhua news agency reported.

The accident occurred when workers of the provincial number 7 construction company were removing the scaffold from a newly built chimney in a local company.

An unidentified number of injured have been rushed to major hospitals of the city, rescuers said.

The cause of the accident is being investigated.

In the second accident, 10 workers were killed when an ethanol cylinder exploded at a chemical factory in Junan county of Eastern China's Shandong province yesterday.

Preliminary investigation showed the accident was caused by illegal operation of an electric welder, who was killed on the spot.

The fire caused by the blast was put out within two hours. Four chiefs of the company found responsible for the explosion have been detained and the six hospitalised injured are safe after treatment, police said.