Shandong chemical explosion deaths rise to 9

By HOU LIQIANG

The number killed by an explosion at a chemical plant in Liaocheng, Shandong province, on Monday morning has increased to nine, with one remaining missing, local authorities said.

The accident happened in an area for hydrogen peroxide production at Luxi Chemical, a subsidiary of Sinochem Holdings.

Five people were found dead soon after the blast, and another four bodies were removed from the debris during the rescue operation after the fire caused by the explosion was put out, according to a statement on Wednesday from the management committee of Liaocheng high-tech zone, where the plant is located.

The accident also injured one worker, it added.

The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, but preliminary analysis shows that it may have been caused by violent chemical reactions triggered by impurities in a recovery facility, a statement from the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Tuesday.

The blast broke a tank of a neighboring company and ignited chemical liquid that leaked from the storage facility and some pipes, it added.

The ministry cautioned companies in the chemical sector across the country to learn a lesson from the accident and immediately screen their facilities to rule out safety hazards.

“They should take concrete actions to beef up the management of major risks and resolutely prevent and curb the occurrence of extraordinary accidents,” the ministry stressed.

These companies should rigidly restrict the number of workers in chemical facilities with high explosion risks, it added.

An investigation team has been set up to look into the accident.

Consisting of members from the Liaocheng government and five provincial government bodies, including the departments of emergency management and public security, the team will identify the cause and determine who has liability for the accident as soon as possible, a statement from the Shandong provincial government said on Wednesday.

The team will provide suggestions for the punishment of those liable for the accident and the measures that should be taken for rectification, it said. The result of the investigation will be made public in a timely manner.

Source: China Daily