2019 Xiangshui chemical plant explosion facts for kids
| Date | 21 March 2019 |
|---|---|
| Location | Chenjiagang Chemical Industry Park (陈家港生态化工园区), Xiangshui County, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China |
| Cause | Chemical plant explosion |
| Deaths | 78 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 617 |
On March 21, 2019, a large explosion happened at a chemical factory. This factory was located in the Chenjiagang Chemical Industry Park in Xiangshui County, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China. Sadly, 78 people lost their lives, and 617 others were hurt in this accident.
What Happened?
The Plant and Its Past
The factory was in an industrial park in Yancheng. It was run by a company called Tianjiayi Chemical. This factory made products like fertilizer or pesticides.
Tianjiayi Chemical had been in trouble before. They were fined six times for not following rules about pollution and waste. They also had fines for safety problems.
This was not the first accident in the Chenjiagang Chemical Zone.
- On November 27, 2007, an explosion happened at another factory there. Seven people died, and about 50 were hurt.
- On November 23, 2010, over 30 people got sick from a harmful gas leak.
- In 2011, there were two more explosions at local factories. These happened on May 18 and July 26.
The Big Blast
The explosion happened at 2:48 PM local time. It killed 78 people. At least 94 people were seriously injured. Many of them needed hospital care. About 640 people went to 16 different hospitals. Some children from a nearby kindergarten were also hurt.
The blast was so strong that it caused an artificial earthquake. The force of the explosion started fires. It also knocked down several buildings. Windows were broken many kilometers away from the factory.
The fire was put out by 3:00 AM the next day. Other factories and offices nearby were badly damaged. The roof of a factory 3 kilometers away fell in. At least one person who died was in another building. Houses and other buildings up to 6 kilometers away were also damaged.
What Happened Next?
People searched for survivors for several days. On March 23, one person was rescued from the site. However, 25 people who were missing were found to have died.
Officials checked the air quality after the explosion. They looked for chemicals like benzene and xylene. The levels of these chemicals were found to be normal. Other chemicals like acetone were also within safe limits.
See also
In Spanish: Explosión de la planta química de Jiangsu para niños
