S China chemical plant blast prompts evacuation

26 August 2008 07:22  [Source: ICIS news]

SHANGHAI (ICIS news)--Local residents are being evacuated following an explosion at a chemical plant owned by Guangxi Guangwei Chemical Industry Co in Guangxi province, south China at 06:00 am local time (22:00 GMT, 25 August) on Tuesday, a local government source said.

"The government is organising a rescue move, and local residents are being evacuated for fear of further blasts and possible chemical leaks," the source from Guangxi Work Safety Bureau added in Mandarin.

No details were currently available regarding casualties or injuries due to the blast and the company could not be reached for comments.

"According to the report from the spot, rescue workers are seizing the time to save the injured, but the detailed casualties are yet unknown," he said, adding that they were investigating the cause of the explosion.

The plant in Yizhou city produces polyvinyl alcohol, calcium carbide and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), sources said.

In mid-August, an explosion at the ammonium nitrate workshop of Liuzhou Chemical Industry Group in Guangxi province caused one fatality and four injuries.

Bohan Loh contributed to this article
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