The Yuming Oil 1, which was carrying 800 tons of gasoline, caught fire at a wharf on the Gan River in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi province, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
The blaze was finally extinguished by firefighters using 20 fire engines, the agency said, citing Liao Shihuai, a provincial fire official.
``The fire ... has enmeshed half of the provincial capital in black smoke,'' Xinhua said. ``Many city dwellers have complained of (the) pungent smell.''
One crew member who jumped into the river was missing, Liao said. Six others were rescued.
The disaster left a slick several kilometers (miles) long on the river, Xinhua said.
It said the cause of the fire was under investigation but cited a crew member who said it started in the engine cabin.
