Huge explosion reported at China chemical plant

Beijing: A large explosion at a chemical plant in eastern China on Tuesday caused giant plumes of smoke to rise from the building, state media said, w...

Beijing: A large explosion at a chemical plant in eastern China on Tuesday caused giant plumes of smoke to rise from the building, state media said, with no casualties immediately reported.

The blast occurred at the Youdao Chemical plant at around 11:57 am (0357 GMT) in Gaomi, a town in Shandong province around 450 kilometres (280 miles) southeast of the capital Beijing, according to the China News agency.

Videos broadcast by the Beijing newspaper Xinjingbao showed a gigantic column of grey smoke rising into the sky, a fire in an industrial zone and shop windows apparently blown out by the explosion.

Clips also showed debris strewn across a road, a car with a smashed windscreen, and dark orange flames devouring installations in the background.

Emergency services dispatched 55 vehicles and 232 first responders to the scene, the national Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement.