Ten die in Shandong petrochemical explosion

AN explosion at a petrochemical plant in Shandong in eastern China has killed ten people, and injured nine more, according to Chinese state media.

According to China Daily, a liquefied gas tanker exploded at a site owned by Linyi Jinyu Petrochemical Company in Shandong’s Lingang economic development area at around 01:00 local time on 5 June. The explosion ignited a fire in the site’s loading area. By 12:00, several liquid gas and iso-octane storage tanks were on fire.

More than 900 firefighters and 170 fire engines attended the site to tackle the blaze and sprayed neighbouring tanks with water to cool them. Those injured are being treated at a local hospital, while neighbouring plants and residential areas were evacuated. Shandong’s Communist Party secretary and the city mayor set up emergency headquarters onsite. The owner of Linyi Jinyu Petrochemical has been arrested by police.

Xinhua reports that an investigation into the cause of the tragedy is now underway. Fatal industrial accidents are relatively common in China, despite a government crackdown on safety in the wake of the huge chemical explosion in Tianjin in August 2015 which killed 165 people.