NANJING - Two workers died and three others were injured in an explosion on Wednesday morning at a steel plant in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, local authorities said.

A 15-kg gas bottle exploded while being unloaded from a truck carrying oxygen and propane, said Nanjing police and company sources at Minhe Casting Co. Ltd. in Jiangning district.

The accident happened at the company's facility at 8:20 am.

The local public security bureau has launched an investigation, but is yet to identify the victims.

Minhe Casting was founded in 2003 and reports an annual output of 10,000 tonnes.