Worker killed in factory explosion

A 52-year-old worker died in a fabric factory blast in Jiading District yesterday, while another worker, aged 48, was injured.

The explosion occurred around 4am at Shanghai Shunhua Industry and Trade Company in Xuhang Town’s Heqiao Village, causing a big fire as well as damaging windows at nearby houses.

The fires have burned more than 300 square meters.

According to Xuhang Town’s environment protection office, the factory mainly produces non-woven bags.

“The blast might have occurred when the factory was making glue products,” an official from the protection office surnamed Zhu told Shanghai Daily.

“The factory has not been an environment regulation violator, though I’m not sure whether it has been involved in illegal construction,” said Zhu.

STV cited an unnamed official of Heqiao Village, saying the factory had been ordered to shut down due to illegal construction.

It was due to be demolished by the end of last month, though the owner asked for the deadline to be postponed to November 20 when the company’s land contract expired.

The unnamed official said an inspection by Xuhang Town’s environment office on Monday found the company had closed.

However, the blast proved that the manufacturing operation was still going on, the official added.

Jiading District environmental protection bureau said it was not aware of the factory’s operating situation.

Work safety authority and public security bureau officials are investigating.