More than 60 students were injured on Sunday in a balloon explosion at a school in northwest China's Gansu Province, hospital sources said.

More than 1,500 small hydrogen balloons that would be used at the opening ceremony of the sports meet exploded and caught fire at around 9 a.m., injuring students nearby at the Lanzhou Electric Power School in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu.

More than 60 students were being hospitalized, according to hospital sources. However, a student from the school said more than 70 people were sent by ambulances to hospital.

The students were rushed to two hospitals in Lanzhou. Xinhua has found 64 students in the hospitals, but sources said there were a few more who suffered from severe burns.

Most of the students were suffering from burns in the face, hand, ear and back, doctors said.

The Gansu Electric Power Company had planned to hold the sports meet at the school's playground.

Investigation into the cause of the accident is under way.

(Xinhua News Agency September 17, 2007)