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Search and rescue operations continued into Wednesday morning as six individuals remained missing following a deadly explosion at a chemical plant in eastern China that killed at least five people and left 19 others injured. The blast, which occurred on Tuesday, shook nearby buildings and sent a thick plume of white smoke into the sky, prompting widespread concern in the surrounding area.
The explosion took place within an industrial park located in the city of Weifang, Shandong province. According to videos shared on social media, the force of the blast shattered windows in nearby structures. The facility where the incident occurred belongs to Gaomi Youdao Chemical Co., a manufacturer of pesticides and medical-use chemicals with a workforce of more than 500, based on corporate registration data.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the explosion. Local fire departments deployed over 230 personnel to the scene, according to reports from state broadcaster CCTV. Emergency responders worked through the night, searching for the missing and assisting the injured.
A student attending a school approximately one kilometer from the site told the state-run news outlet The Paper that he heard the explosion and observed a column of dirt-yellow smoke, tinged with red, rising from the plant. He added that the air carried a strange odor, and students were immediately provided with face masks and instructed to keep them on.
Environmental monitoring efforts were also initiated. A representative from the local environment bureau informed The Paper that a team had been dispatched to the scene to assess possible pollution. However, no official findings had been released as of Wednesday morning.
The incident occurred less than two weeks after China’s National Ministry of Emergency Management hosted a workshop focused on mitigating risks in the chemical industry. The ministry has recently emphasized the need for chemical industrial parks to improve their handling of hazardous substances.
Despite improvements in workplace safety across China in recent years, serious industrial accidents remain a persistent issue. The Gaomi Youdao Chemical plant had previously been cited at least twice for safety violations in 2023. However, in September, it received commendation from the Weifang Emergency Management Bureau for its internal risk management efforts, particularly the role of Communist Party members in identifying and addressing workplace hazards. The bureau noted that over 800 potential hazards had been detected and rectified by party-affiliated personnel during the first eight months of 2024.
Nonetheless, the broader picture remains concerning. Data from the National Ministry of Emergency Management show that China recorded 21,800 workplace incidents and 19,600 fatalities in 2024.
China has experienced multiple high-profile industrial disasters in recent years. Notably, a 2015 explosion at a hazardous chemical warehouse in Tianjin resulted in 173 people either dead or missing. Another incident in 2019 saw 78 fatalities following a blast at a chemical plant in Yancheng, located in Jiangsu province along the eastern coast.
As investigations into the Weifang explosion continue, authorities are under pressure to uncover the cause and prevent future tragedies in a sector long fraught with safety challenges.
