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Chemical Plant in Anhui Explodes, Forms Huge Fireball in the Sky; Residents Remember Tianjin Tragedy

| Feb 09, 2017 07:00 AM EST

A huge explosion of a magnesium plant in Anhui caused a mushroom cloud of fire.

A magnesium factory in Anhui was on fire and caused the formation of a massive fireball. Footage of the fire went viral on social media.

The explosion of a magnesium factory occurred on Wednesday night. Chinese authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported.

According to the Tongling Daily, the chemical explosion happened late Wednesday evening. Large flames were seen in the sky.

The Daily wrote, "At present, there are no injuries or deaths," adding that the fire caused by the explosion has been effectively controlled.

At the time of the explosion, residents screamed in terror as a giant mushroom of smoke formed and rose above the burning chemical plant. Fire engines and emergency rescue teams rushed to the scene.

The fire was controlled right away and stopped from spreading to other villages. Many residents recalled the explosion in Tianjin, the biggest so far.

Chemical explosions are a common occurrence in China. The explosion in Tianjin killed 173 people and caused damages that totaled $1.1 billion and damaged 304 buildings, according to reports from the State Council.

Every year, the locality of Tianjin commemorates the heroism of the firefighters who died while attempting to stop the fire from spreading.

The Communist Party is trying to tone down reports of what happened during the Tianjin blast. President Xi Jinping, however, said that local officials should learn from the lessons of the explosion to avoid similar tragedies from happening in the future.

One survivor, Zhang Mengfan, a fire radio operator, refused to stay quiet. He said, "On this anniversary there should be a way for the public to know what happened. I don't want silence."

"When I saw the mushroom cloud I fell into a state of desperation. I knew what it would mean for my friends," he recalled.

Firefighters did not know at that time that there was a huge amount of illegally stored chemicals in the plant and that would cause the loss of many lives.

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