YINCHUAN, May 31 (Xinhua) -- More than 6,000 local residents evacuated from a gas leakage accident have returned home and resumed normal life in Pingluo County, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, local government sources said Wednesday.

    After more than 50 hours of rescue efforts, the gas leakage hasbeen brought under control. And the Pingluo section of the expressway connecting Shizuishan City and Zhongning County, where the accident occurred, has been re-opened to traffic, after 40-strong hours of blockade, local traffic police said.

    A tank truck carrying nearly nine tons of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) fell off the roadbed after one of its front tyres burst at around 4:00 p.m. last Sunday on the local expressway, causing the leakage.

    Most of the gas onboard the tank truck has been channeled out and ignited. The fire will continue into Wednesday afternoon.

    The possibility of explosion has been ruled out.

    No casualties was reported in the accident. Enditem,