At Least 5 Dead and 6 Missing After Huge Explosion at Chemical Plant: Reports
A massive explosion that occurred at a chemical plant in China has left at least five dead, six missing and 19 injured
The explosion took place on Tuesday, May 27, causing damage to nearby buildings, according to reports
A cause for the explosion is still unclear,At least five people have died and six others are missing following a huge explosion at a chemical plant in China, according to multiple reports.
According to the Associated Press and BBC News, citing local emergency management authorities and Chinese state media, 19 people were also injured in the incident when a factory owned by Gaomi Shandong Youdao Chemical Co, Ltd. went up in flames on Tuesday, May 27.
Recovery efforts are underway as Chinese authorities in the city of Weifang, which is in the Shandong province south of Beijing. search for the six who are missing and citizens begin to pick up the pieces after the explosion, per Reuters.
Videos shared online showcased the devastation caused by the blast. In many of them, a massive plume of smoke can be seen rising above the site.
In a clip shared by the AP, some of the extensive damage that nearby buildings suffered could be seen. One had its windows blown out, while a set of double doors was even knocked over, collapsing into a building.
The cause of the explosion is still unknown. The AP reported that China's National Ministry of Emergency Management had recently "held a workshop on preventing and controlling risks in the chemical industry."
Gaomi Shandong Youdao Chemical, which works in the pesticides and pharmaceuticals industries, was reportedly cited for "safety risks" at least twice last year, according to the outlet, though they also noted that the company had been commended by the Weifang Emergency Management Bureau after "[identifying] more than 800 safety hazards in the first eight months of 2024 and rectified all of them."
Citing state broadcaster CCTV, the AP reported that the explosion required 230 emergency responders. Testing has been conducted to see if the explosion poses a significant risk to residents; however, the results have not yet been revealed.
The damage extends beyond the factory, with a restaurant located nearly two miles away suffering minor damage. Speaking to Reuters, the restaurant owner compared the blast to "a small earthquake."
While there was "no substantial damage" to the restaurant, there were "cracks" in some of the windows, per the outlet.
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Closer to the factory, 60-year-old Liu Ming told Reuters that they lost everything.
"(The authorities) told us to stay in a hotel. It's okay for a day or two, but look at us now. We have no land, nothing," she said, describing the "intense" fire, which she said "[burst] out fiercely."
Citing state-run news site The Paper, AP reported that students at a school located more than half a mile from the blast site were "given masks and told not to remove them."
A student who spoke to the outlet described "dirt-yellow smoke, tainted with redness, rising from the plant" and added that "there was a funny smell."
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