Chinese state media report that at least 6 people died after an explosion rocked an abandoned plastics and chemical factory in northern Nanjing, the capital city of Jiangsu Province. China’s Xinghua news agency says an initial investigation blamed the blast, which occurred at 10 am local time, on a gas leak. According to local media reports at least 300 people have been hospitalised following the explosion, 50 of them in serious condition. The blast also seriously damaged buildings and vehicles within a 100-meter radius, with fire fighters battling the blaze for hours.

In January, an explosion at a naphtha oil tank farm in Lanzhou City left several people dead and injured – see Plasteurope.com of 11.01.2010.