BEIJING — China’s largest oil refiner apologized Saturday for explosions from a ruptured oil pipeline that killed 47 people and injured 136 others in one of the country’s worst industrial accidents of the year.
Sinopec’s expansion of petrochemical projects has met with resistance from members of the public, and the explosions Friday in the eastern port city of Quingdao probably will add to growing fears for safety and environmental risks. The accident was the deadliest involving Sinopec.
The explosions ripped slabs of pavement, and online photos showed bodies, overturned vehicles, and shattered windows in nearby buildings. Smoke rose above huge fuel silos and darkened the sky over a bay area.
The pipeline, owned by Sinopec, ruptured and leaked for about 15 minutes onto a street and into the sea before it was shut off. Hours later, as workers cleaned up the spill, the oil caught fire and exploded in two locations, the city government said.
Fu Chengyu, chairman of Sinopec, issued a public apology Saturday morning, according to a company statement. He said that Sinopec will collaborate with a State Council investigation group.
‘‘We will investigate the incident with responsibility and give timely reports,’’ another Sinopec statement said.
The Qingdao Environmental Protection Bureau said barriers had been set up to contain the oil as it spread into the sea, but that a mixture of gas and oil from a storm sewer exploded and caught fire over the sea.
More than 32,000 square feet of sea surface was tainted, the city government said.
Authorities said the oil seeped into underground utility pipes, which could have been a factor in the explosions, but they did not elaborate.
They assured the public that the explosions did not affect any petrochemical plants or military facilities in the seaside district and that air quality remained good after the disaster.