A severe explosion at a chemical plant in Shandong province, China, has resulted in five fatalities, according to local authorities. Eighteen people were injured, and six remain missing. The explosion occurred shortly before 12:00 local time in an industrial area near Gaomi, a city of nearly 900,000 residents. Dark gray clouds were visible above the factory, and the blast was felt several kilometers away.
Windows in nearby schools shattered, injuring students who were subsequently hospitalized. Emergency services, including over fifty fire trucks and hundreds of responders, were dispatched. The plant, which produces pesticides and pharmaceuticals, had previously received safety fines but was deemed compliant in recent inspections.
