5 killed, 6 missing in east China chemical plant explosion

Five people were killed and six others were missing as of 7:25 pm Tuesday following the explosion at the workshop of a chemical company in the city of Gaomi, east China's Shandong Province, said the local emergency management bureau.

Nineteen people also sustained minor injuries in the accident that occurred at the Shandong Youdao Chemical Co., Ltd. at noon, the bureau said.

The provincial and local authorities have established a joint rescue command center to coordinate efforts, focusing on searching for the missing, treating the injured, comforting families and monitoring the environment. Search and cleanup work at the scene is still ongoing.

Upon receiving the report of the blast, the Ministry of Emergency Management immediately dispatched a work team and specialized personnel, including firefighters, medical experts and work safety specialists, to aid local rescue efforts.