Deadly Explosion at Chemical Plant in Shandong, China Leaves Five Dead, 19 Injured, Six Missing
- Victor Nwoko
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
A massive explosion tore through a chemical plant in eastern China's Shandong province on Tuesday, killing at least five people, injuring 19 others, and leaving six missing, according to local emergency management authorities. The blast occurred around noon at Gaomi Youdao Chemical Co., located in an industrial park in the city of Weifang.
The cause of the explosion remains unknown.
The force of the blast shattered windows at a warehouse located more than three kilometers (over two miles) away. A resident, who declined to be named due to safety concerns, said the explosion shook his home, and when he looked out the window, he saw a towering column of smoke rising from the direction of the plant, more than seven kilometers (4.3 miles) away.
Gaomi Youdao Chemical Co. manufactures pesticides and medical-use chemicals and employs over 500 workers, according to corporate registration documents.
Over 230 firefighting personnel were dispatched to the site by local authorities to manage the situation and conduct search-and-rescue operations.
A student from a school just 1,000 yards from the plant reported hearing a loud explosion, followed by a plume of dirt-yellow and reddish smoke rising into the sky. The student described a strange smell in the air. All students were immediately given masks and instructed not to remove them for safety.
The local environmental bureau sent a team to the site to monitor pollution levels, though no findings had been publicly reported at the time of writing.
The explosion comes less than two weeks after the National Ministry of Emergency Management conducted a workshop focused on reducing risks in China’s chemical industry. The central government has recently urged industrial parks to strengthen hazardous chemical management and safety protocols.
Gaomi Youdao Chemical Co. had previously been cited for safety risks at least twice in the past year. However, in September, the plant was commended by the Weifang Emergency Management Bureau for implementing risk management strategies led by Communist Party members. The bureau reported that more than 800 safety hazards were identified and resolved at the facility during the first eight months of 2024.
Despite national efforts to improve workplace safety, industrial accidents continue to plague the country. The Ministry of Emergency Management recorded 21,800 incidents and 19,600 deaths across China in 2024.
The tragedy in Shandong adds to a history of deadly chemical plant disasters in the country. In 2015, a warehouse storing hazardous chemicals in Tianjin exploded, killing or leaving 173 people missing. In 2019, 78 people died in a similar explosion at a chemical plant in Yancheng, Jiangsu province.
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