47 dead and hundreds injured in chemical blast

BEIJING (March 22): A blast yesterday from a chemical plant in eastern China has claimed at least 47 lives and caused injury to hundreds, with 90 of them in grave conditions.

The Associated Press reported that the explosion originated from the Tianjiayi Chemical production facility in an industrial park at the city government of Yancheng in Jiangsu province.

Almost 400 personnel and 86 fire trucks were deployed to contain the disaster, according to a statement on the company’s official social media account, adding that the explosion and its cause was under investigation.

A website video posting by state broadcaster CCTV shows “huge plumes of smoke spewing from a factory building and spreading over the area. Windows and garage doors appear to shatter at the moment of the blast”.

A hotel patron, named only as Ding, staying within 5 to 6 km distance, described shattering glass along the whole street’s buildings, with at least four casualties in his hotel. An elementary school student nearby was also wounded.

CCTV reported that 31 people had been saved as of 5 pm yesterday.