An explosion at a chemical site in China's eastern Shandong province on Saturday killed one person and injured nine more. The explosion, which took place at 9 p.m. local time, triggered a fire with enormous flames at a warehouse, BBC News reported.
The chemical plant is owned by Shandong Running Chemical Technology Co., a subsidiary of Running Group, which has a registered capital of 200 million yuan ($31 million). The plant produced a chemical called adiponitrile, which is used for making nylon and other various products. Adiponitrile is a colorless liquid that produces toxic fumes when burned.
Zibo City, where the explosion took place, is located in southeastern Beijing, which is just a kilometer away from residential areas, although no contamination around the area was observed by environmental agencies. The accident killed a person working at the chemical facility. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, and the area is still under investigation.
Windows in the village where the incident happened were destroyed, and the blast resonated as far as two kilometers from the blast site, according to Reuters.
There were seven fire brigades that rushed to the scene. One hundred and fifty firefighters and 20 fire engines worked hand in hand to killed the fire. There were also fire brigades that specialize in fire situations where chemicals are involved. Firefighters managed to put out the fire at 2 a.m. on Sunday.
This recent blast happened less than two weeks from the explosion in the port city Tianjin, which resulted to $ 1.5 billion in damages, making it one of the most costly disasters in China's history.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, an anti-corruption group, said last week that Yang Dongliang, the chair of the workplace safety regulator, has been taken into custody under suspicions of "severe disciplinary violations." Mr. Yang, the deputy mayor of Tianjin from 2001-2012, has not been charged formally yet, The Financial Times reported.
