A massive explosion at a chemical plant in eastern China has killed at least five people and left six missing. The blast, which occurred at the Gaomi Youdao Chemical Co. facility in Weifang, sent huge columns of smoke into the air and was powerful enough to knock out windows at a warehouse over two miles away.
Local authorities confirmed that at least 19 people were injured in the blast, while many more were forced to evacuate the area due to hazardous chemicals being released into the air. A student who witnessed the explosion said he heard one blast and saw smoke rising from the plant, which was described as having a “funny smell”.
The cause of the explosion is still unclear, but it has raised concerns about safety risks in the chemical industry. The plant had previously been cited for “safety risks” on at least two occasions, but officials claimed to have identified and rectified over 800 hazards in the first eight months of this year.
This incident comes just days after a workshop on preventing and controlling risks in the chemical industry was held by the National Ministry of Emergency Management. Beijing had urged officials at chemical industrial parks to boost their capabilities in managing hazardous chemicals, following similar incidents in the past.
The explosion is the latest in a series of tragic events in China’s chemical industry, including a blast in Tianjin in 2015 that left 173 dead or missing, and another in Yancheng in 2019 that killed 78 people.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/world/china-chemical-plant-explosion-leaves-dead