Jingjiang Explosion (Photo : Xinhua News Agency)
A warehouse in Jingjiang City exploded on Friday, releasing a massive plume of smoke. The warehouse was a storage facility for chemicals and fuel products. The first started at around 9 a.m. at the storage site.
The owner of the warehouse, Jiangsu Deqiao Storage, has authority to keep hazardous chemicals, according to the local government, reported Fox. Skynews reported that around 400 firefighters were deployed to put out the blaze which was being fed by petrol storage tanks in the facility.
There are no reports of injuries or deaths, but witnesses said the rescuers and firefighters who immediately arrived had to retreat because of the suffocating smell.
Activity near the blaze site is back to normal, said the Jingjiang government in a statement. CCTV reported that as of 1 p.m., the fire was under control.
The incident brings back memories of the Tianjin explosion in August, due to improper storage of chemicals, which killed at least 165 people. Lax safety standards is often blamed for industrial accidents which are common in China.
There was widespread anger over the Tianjin tragedy because of the perceived lack of transparency by officials over the causes and environmental impact of the explosion.
