An explosion took place at a steel plate factory in north China’s Inner Mongolia region. The blast reportedly has killed two people and left five others missing, according to local emergency management and fire rescue departments. The incident was reported by China’s state broadcaster CCTV.
According to reports, the blast occurred at around 3 pm on Sunday at a plate manufacturing unit operated by Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Union in Baotou city. Following the explosion, chaos broke out at the industrial site as thick smoke billowed into the air. It triggered an immediate emergency response from local authorities.
66 people are reported to be injured
Officials said that 66 people were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment and three of the people were in critical condition. Rescue teams, including firefighters and emergency responders, were rushed to the site to conduct search and rescue operations. Efforts are ongoing to locate the five workers who remain missing, while medical teams continue to monitor those injured in the blast.
Reuters reported that authorities have cordoned off the area and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the explosion. Preliminary details about what triggered the incident have not been disclosed, and officials said further information would be shared once the probe makes progress.
Industrial accidents have been a recurring concern in China, in sectors such as steel, mining and chemicals. There have been tighter safety regulations in recent years
(With inputs from Reuters)
