Here is a better story about the launch and the conditions afterward s. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/disaster-at-xichang-2873673/ https://

Here is a better story about the launch and the conditions afterward s. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/disaster-at-xichang-2873673/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/disaster-a... One thing that wiki omits is that the foreign observers were not allowed to leave the launch site for several hours and it appears that during this time the entire area was swept by SAR or recovery teams. Also not noted in Wiki is that the launch took place at 3am, so if everyone was evacuate for safety per the official claim they would have had to have overnight accommodation. Edit add: Here is another and perhaps better link https://www.thespacereview.com/article/2323/1 https://www.thespacereview.com/article/2323/1