SHIJIAZHUANG - Natural gas supply was cut for the north China city of Xingtai after a major pipeline was damaged by construction workers in the early hours on Sunday.

The natural gas transmission trunk was damaged in Neiqiu county, Hebei province, when construction workers were carrying out a digging operation, firefighters said.

Neiqiu is under the jurisdiction of Xingtai, which has a population of around seven million.

Household heating and cooking downstream in Xingtai were seriously affected due to the rupture of the pipeline, which is about one meter in diameter.

Firefighters and gas workers are repairing the pipe. It is unclear when it will resume operations.

No blasts or casualties were reported following the accident.