2019 Xiangshui chemical plant explosion
On 21 March 2019, an explosion occurred at a chemical plant in Chenjiagang Chemical Industry Park, Chenjiagang, Xiangshui County, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China.
| Date | 21 March 2019 |
|---|---|
| Location | Chenjiagang Chemical Industry Park (陈家港生态化工园区), Xiangshui County, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China |
| Coordinates | 34°20′31″N 119°46′41″E / 34.34194°N 119.77806°E |
| Cause | Chemical plant explosion |
| Deaths | 78[1] |
| Non-fatal injuries | 617[1] |
78 people died, and 617 were injured in the incident.
Background
changeThe plant was operated by Tianjiayi Chemical (江苏天嘉宜化工有限公司), and was used to produce fertilizer[2] or pesticides.[3] Tianjiayi Chemical had previously been punished six times for not obeying pollution and waste management laws,[4] and China Daily reported fines over safety issues.[3]
On November 27, 2007, an explosion occurred in one of the chemical factories in Chenjiagang Chemical Zone (陈家港生态化工园区). 7 people died and around 50 got injured.[5][6][7] On November 23, 2010, more than thirty were poisoned by a harmful gas release.[7][8] In the early morning of February 10, 2011, rumors of harmful chemical release and potential upcoming explosions in the Chenjiagang Chemical Industry Park led over ten thousand residents to move away in panic from the towns of Chenjiagang and Shuanggang (双港镇) during which four people died and many were injured.[7] On the afternoon of May 18 and again on July 26 in 2011, there were explosions at local factories.[9]
Explosion
changeThe explosion happened at a local time of 14:48[10][11] (06:48 GMT). 78 people were killed, and at least 94 were severely injured,[4] 32 of whom were critically injured.[3] Around 640 people required hospital treatment and were taken to 16 hospitals.[12][13] The injured included children at a local kindergarten.[3] CENC detected an artificial earthquake at 34°19′52″N 119°43′26″E / 34.331°N 119.724°E.[11][14]
The force of the blast started fires in Yancheng, knocked down several buildings, and reportedly destroyed windows several kilometers away.[2] The fire was reported to have been controlled by 03:00 local time.[13] Considerable damage was caused to nearby factories and offices;[15] the roof of Henglida Chemical Factory, 3 km from the explosion, fell in.[13] At least one of the people killed was in another building destroyed by the blast.[4] Windows are reported to have been blown out up to 6 km away from the explosion, and houses and other buildings were damaged in the nearby administrative divisions including Hai'an Town (Haianju) and Shadang.[15]
Aftermath
changeThe search for survivors was ongoing on 23 March;[15] one survivor was rescued from the site on the morning of 23 March,[4] but 25 of the 28 people earlier reported missing were found dead. According to the Jiangsu environmental protection bureau, the monitored levels of benzene, toluene, and xylene in the area were not abnormal, and levels of acetone and chloroform outside the explosion area were within normal limits.[3]
References
change- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Coote, Darryl (26 March 2019). "Death toll rises to 78 in Chinese chemical plant explosion". UPI. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Death Toll Soars to 44 in China Chemical Plant Blast, At least 90 Injured". News18. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Dozens killed and hundreds injured in explosion at Chinese chemical plant". The Guardian. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "China chemical blast: Survivor found but toll rises again". BBC. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ↑ 江苏省响水县一化工厂发生爆炸事故 已致7人死亡. Government of the People's Republic of China. 2007-11-28. Archived from the original on 2012-08-03. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
- ↑ Liu, Zhaoquan (刘兆权); Deng, Huaning (邓华宁) (2007-11-30). 响水"1127"爆炸事故原因初步查明. CCTV. Archived from the original on 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 江苏响水因谣言引发上万人惊慌出逃 [Rumors in Xiangshui, Jiangsu Lead over 10,000 to Evacuate in Panic]. Sina Corp. 2011-03-29.
- ↑ Zhu, Xudong (朱旭东); Wang, Junyong (王骏勇) (2011-02-12). 一则“谣言”引发“万人出逃”的背后——江苏响水“化工厂爆炸传言”事件追踪 (in Simplified Chinese). Archived from the original on 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
- ↑ Gao, Shan (高山) (2011-07-27). 盐城南方化工有限公司日前再次发生爆炸. Radio Free Asia. Archived from the original on 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
5月18日下午，陈家港的南方化工厂果然发生重大火灾。7月26号该厂又再次发生爆炸。
- ↑ CENC (2019-03-21). 中国地震台网自动测定：03月21日14时48分在江苏盐城市响水县附近（北纬34.34度，东经119.75度）发生3.0级左右地震，最终结果以正式速报为准。. Archived from the original on 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ↑ 11.0 11.1 CENC (2019-03-21). 中国地震台网正式测定：03月21日14时48分在江苏连云港市灌南县(疑爆)（北纬34.33度，东经119.73度）发生2.2级地震。. Archived from the original on 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ↑ hermesauto (2019-03-22). "Blast at Chinese chemical plant blast kills 47, injures 640". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "China chemical blast death toll rises to 47". BBC. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
- ↑ Calculated from 34°20′N 119°44′E / 34.33°N 119.73°E of GCJ-02.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "Chinese chemical plant survivors relive horror of 'earth-shattering' blast". South China Morning Post. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.