China chemical plant blast kills five, six missing in Shandong

A powerful explosion at a chemical plant in eastern China has killed at least five people and left six others missing, according to state media.

Accordint to the South China Morning Post's website the blast occurred just before noon on Tuesday at a facility owned by Shandong Youdao Chemical in Gaomi, a city in Shandong province. Nineteen others were injured in the incident, which created a giant fireball and sent thick plumes of smoke high into the sky.

Residents described hearing a loud bang that shattered windows and damaged nearby homes. One local told The Paper that his house was “shaken” by the blast, with windows broken and household items thrown about. Streets in the area were reportedly littered with broken glass and debris.

Emergency services responded swiftly, with 55 vehicles and 232 personnel deployed to the site. National fire and rescue teams, along with specialised emergency response units from the Ministry of Emergency Management, were also sent to assist.

Authorities said search and rescue operations, along with site clean-up, continued late into the night. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

Shandong Youdao Chemical, founded in 2019, employs more than 300 people and produces pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other chemicals. It is reportedly the world’s largest manufacturer of the pesticide chlorpyrifos, with an annual output of around 11,000 tonnes.