The tanker exploded on a motorway on Sunday afternoon, reports the Reuters news agency, and the cause of the accident is still unknown.
The New China News Agency reports that a second explosion was triggered when the tanker truck hit a workshop after the first bang. Rescue work was still underway on Sunday.
According to local authorities, the truck's tank was filled with natural gas.
Movie clips from the event show a big fire and people are heard screaming. Wreckage flies through the air and lands on nearby buildings. Another file clip shows the remains of the truck that crashed into a building, even the one completely destroyed.
At least 172 people were injured, according to authorities.