AN explosion has ripped through a chemical plant in eastern China, triggering a fire, state media are reporting.
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The explosion yesterday, which tore through a chemical plant in Zibo, in Shandong province, injured at least nine people, although no deaths have been reported, according to a microblog post by the Zibo Public Security Bureau. A blast at an auto parts factory killed 75 people a year ago.
Local reports said the reverberations from the blast could be felt as far as 5 kilometres away, with the force of the blast shattering windows at local villages. Some 150 fire fighters and 20 fire engines were sent to the scene.
The explosion occurred at Shandong Runxing Chemical Technology Co.
It was not immediately clear what chemicals were at the plant at the time of the incident.
The factory produced adiponitrile, a colorless liquid that releases poisonous gases when it reacts with fire, the People’s Daily said, citing the state-run Beijing Times.
Since the August . 12 blast in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, police have detained 10 people, including chairman and vice chairman of company that owned the warehouse.
Last Wednesday night, two explosions destroyed a warehouse in Tianjin where hundreds of tonnes of toxic chemicals were stored, including around 700 tonnes of sodium cyanide.
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Environmental authorities detected no contamination from the blast, according to Xinhua.
