BFF-21 Five killed in factory explosion in eastern China

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BFF-21

CHINA-ACCIDENT-EXPLOSION

Five killed in factory explosion in eastern China

BEIJING, March 30, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Five workers were killed and three
injured in a factory explosion caused by a gas leak in eastern China, local
authorities said Saturday.

The blast happened Friday night at a perlite workshop in Shandong province,
city officials said in a statement.

All five victims were inside the Qingzhou city workshop during the
explosion.

“The cause of the accident was initially found to be a liquefied natural
gas leak, and the specific cause is under further investigation,” the
statement said.

A company official has also been detained by local authorities, it added.

The incident came barely a week after one of China’s worst recent
industrial accidents, in which an explosion at a chemical plant killed 78
people.

BSS/AFP/GMR/1033 hrs