Medical staff rescue those injured by a nickel smelter furnace explosion in Loudi city, located in central China's Hunan Province on Wednesday, May 23 2007. [Photo: cnsphoto]

A nickel smeltery furnace exploded Wednesday afternoon in central China's Hunan Province, leaving 10 people injured, among whom five were in serious condition, said local authorities.

The blast happened at around 1:00 p.m. when more than 10 repairmen were examining a smelting furnace of Xiaochong Industry Co. Ltd, a small smeltery in Loudi City.

Pipe water got into the furnace and triggered the blast, said the sources, adding investigation into the accident is underway.

Five of the workers got severe burns. The most seriously injured person has 95 percent of his skin burned.