Eight killed in PetroChina LNG tank collapse

BEIJING, June 16 (Reuters) - Eight people were killed and five others injured by the collapse of a liquefied natural gas storage tank under construction in eastern China, according to a provincial news site.

The LNG tank was being built on reclaimed land in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, at the mouth of the Yangtze River.

It was part of the first phase of PetroChina's (601857.SS)(0857.HK)(PTR.N) first LNG terminal, planned to become operational by April 2011.

Initial reports did not say whether the collapse would delay the construction schedule.

The terminal will have a capacity of 6.5 million tonnes of LNG a year, or supply 8.7 billion cubic meters of gas after it becomes fully operational in 2013.

(Reporting by Lucy Hornby)