Blast at Chinese chemical plant kills 47, injures over 600

 An explosion at a pesticide plant in eastern China has killed 47 people and injured more than 600, state media said on Friday, March 22, the latest casualties in a series of industrial accidents that has angered the public.

The blast occurred on Thursday, March 21, at the Chenjiagang Industrial Park in the city of Yancheng, in Jiangsu province, and the fire was finally brought under control at 3.00 a.m. on Friday (1900 GMT), state television said.

Survivors were taken to 16 hospitals with 640 people being treated for injuries, including 32 of them being critically injured, CCTV reported.

The fire at a plant owned by the Tianjiayi Chemical Company had spread to neighboring factories and children at a kindergarten in the vicinity were also injured in the blast, media reported.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation and the company - which produces more than 30 organic chemical compounds, some of which are highly flammable - has been cited and fined for work safety violations in the past, the China Daily said.

(Source: CCTV+ via Reuters)

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