27-05-2025
Chemical plant explosion in Weifang city rocks Shandong province in eastern China
A huge explosion has rocked a chemical plant in eastern China, with state media covering the blast that has sent large plumes of black smoke high into the sky.
Chinese state TV, CCTV, reported that the incident took place in the city of Weifang at about noon local time.
State-backed Beijing News released footage of windows being ripped from their hinges by the explosion, while The Paper, another state-run outlet, reported that some residents's belongings had been blown out onto the street.
Rescuers have been dispatched to the scene of the blast, but authorities have not yet confirmed if there are any casualties.
Some 230 fire fighters and 55 emergency vehicles were sent to the scene, the national Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement.
Blasts at chemical plants in China in recent years have included one in the north-west region of Ningxia in 2024 and another in the south-eastern province of Jiangxi in 2023.
Two massive explosions at warehouses containing hazardous and flammable chemicals in the Chinese port city of Tianjin in 2015 killed over 170 people and injured 700 more, prompting the government to pass new laws covering chemical storage.
ABC/wires
