At least 35 people are dead and another 166 are injured after a massive explosion ripped through an industrial area in Quingdao, China, South China Morning Post is reporting.

The explosion happened near the Lidong Chemical Plant early Friday local time, according to SCMP.

A fire and explosion occurred as workers were attempting to repair a petroleum pipeline around 3 a.m., Xinhua reports.

SCMP reported the Quingdao government as saying the oil pipeline ruptured and caused an oil spill.

Weibosphere, a website highlighting Chinese social media trends, reported social media users posting photos of bodies strewn in the streets, along with extensive damage to cars and a ruptured city street.

Quingdao, a major city in eastern China, has a population of nearly 8 million people. The pipeline is owned by Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner, according to Xinhua.