Five Killed, 32 Hurt in Chemical Plant Explosion in Southwest China

Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency)

Kunming, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) – Five people were killed, 32 were injured and two others are still missing following a chemical plant explosion on Sunday in Kunming, capital of southwestern Yunnan Province, the local government said.

The injured have been hospitalized and rescuers are searching for the missing, according to a notice issued by the city’s government.

An official with the city’s publicity office told Xinhua that most of the injured were in a stable condition, however, several seriously injured were critical.

“Rescuers said the survival chances for the two missing are very slim,” said the official who declined to give his name.

The explosion happened at a sulphuric acid plant under the state- run Yuntianhua International Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. at 3:52 a.m. on Sunday and caused a big fire.

Sulphur powder exploded and caused the fire when workers were loading them in front of a store house, said investigators from the city’s work safety administration.

The fire was put out at around 8 a.m. on Sunday. Air quality in the neighbourhood of the sulphuric acid plant remained normal, according to the city’s environment protection bureau.

Wang Xiaoguang, vice mayor of Kunming, arrived at the site to supervise the rescue operation and told the city’s factories to carry out thorough safety examinations. Endite 13/01/2008 09:31 gmt

Originally published by Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 0931 13 Jan 08.

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