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Almost two dozens people were killed near a chemical plant in China, on Wednesday, according to government officials. The incident took place in Zhangjiakou in the northern Hebei province of the country.
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At least 22 people died and 22 others sustained injuries and were transported to medical facilities for treatment. Xinhua news agency, citing authorities, reported that some 50 vehicles were also destroyed by fire following the explosion.
Operation at the Hebei Shenghua Chemical Industry Co. was halted after the blast, which took place at approximately 12:41 a.m. local time.
Officials announced that a search and rescue mission is underway and an investigation has been launched to ascertain the cause of the explosion.
On Friday, an explosion at an industrial machinery producer in Jilin Province in China’s northeast resulted in the deaths of two people and left 57 injured. The blast also destroyed 15 houses and damaged another 355.
Three years ago, another 165 people were killed following a chemical warehouse explosion in Tianjin.
Zhangjiakou, which is located about 156 kilometers northwest of capital Beijing, is scheduled to co-host the 2022 Winter Olympics with the capital.
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