Explosion at Chemical Plant in Shandong, China: 5 Dead, 6 Missing

Columns of Smoke Rise into the Sky
1-Kilometer Area Nearby Sealed Off

An explosion occurred at a chemical plant in Shandong Province, eastern China.

An explosion occurred on the 27th at Yudao Chemical Company in Gaomi City, Shandong Province, China, resulting in 5 deaths and 19 injuries. Photo by The Paper

According to Chinese authorities and local media on the 27th, an explosion at Yudao Chemical Company in Gaomi City (an administrative district under Weifang City), Shandong Province, at 11:57 a.m. (local time) resulted in 5 deaths and 6 people missing. Nineteen people sustained minor injuries.

After news of the accident broke, the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management, under the direction of Minister Wang Xiangxi, dispatched national comprehensive firefighting and rescue personnel as well as specialized industrial accident rescue teams to the site. A total of 55 vehicles and 232 personnel were deployed for firefighting and rescue operations at the scene.

Explosion accident site at Yudao Chemical Company in Gaomi City, Shandong Province, China. CCTV capture

Chinese media outlet The Beijing News reported that several injured people were transported to two hospitals, including Gaomi People's Hospital and the City Hospital.

Local authorities sealed off a 1-kilometer area nearby as thick columns of smoke rose visibly into the sky. According to Jimu News, eyewitnesses at the scene said, "Around noon, we suddenly heard a loud noise, and all the glass windows in the shop shook and shattered."

Yudao Chemical, where the accident occurred, is a subsidiary of the equipment manufacturer Haomai Group. It was founded in 2019 and is known to develop and produce pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and precision chemical intermediates. The company employs about 300 people.