Latest news Fatal explosion at chemical plant in China
At least five people have died in a serious explosion at a chemical factory in eastern China.
27.05.2025, 16:17
27.05.2025, 16:18
SDA
Six others were still missing, as Chinese state media reported, citing the authorities. 19 people were injured. According to official reports, more than 230 firefighters were on site at the time.
The scene of the accident was in Gaomi, a city with almost 900,000 inhabitants northwest of the coastal city of Qingdao, which is famous for its beer. Videos of a dense column of smoke rising far into the sky circulated on Chinese social media. According to media reports, residents said that the explosion caused their house to shake. Windows were broken and objects fell down.
Factory specializing in fertilizer
According to the company, more than 300 people were employed at the factory, which was built in 2019. The company produces pesticides and pharmaceuticals, among other things. According to the disaster control authorities, they sent medical experts and occupational safety specialists to the site of the accident.
China's state media and official bodies did not report on possible injuries or fatalities for hours after the explosion. There was also initially no information on the cause of the explosion.
Explosions in the past too
Explosions occur time and again in China's industrial sector. In August last year, a container on a freighter detonated in the port of the south-eastern Chinese city of Ningbo, causing damage amounting to 90 million yuan (currently around 11 million euros). An investigation in April concluded that a chemical had leaked from the container, which was not sufficiently cooled, and the subsequent reaction led to the detonation.
In 2015, more than 170 people died in several explosions in a warehouse in the port city of Tianjin. Flammable chemicals were stored there.
