At around 7:38 PM on January 27, in Jin'gui City Plaza, Longshui Town, Dazu District, Chongqing, a 12-year-old middle school girl threw a lit firecracker into a sewer, triggering a methane gas explosion.

Surveillance footage shows the explosion creating a powerful shockwave. As the girl was running, she happened to step onto another manhole cover, which exploded beneath her. Both the girl and the manhole cover were blasted into the air, remaining airborne for about three seconds before falling back down.

Witnesses estimated that the girl was thrown approximately 10 meters (about 33 feet) into the air. She lost consciousness upon hitting the ground. Her yellow coat was torn by the blast, one shoe was blown off, and one foot appeared to be severely injured, possibly severed.

Emergency management personnel quickly arrived at the scene, and the girl was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

According to a statement from the Dazu District Emergency Management Bureau, the girl sustained multiple fractures, pericardial blood accumulation, and severe burns to her head and face. Fortunately, her life is not in danger.