Melamine Plant Blast Kills 14 in Shandong Province, China
Thick smoke rises from a melamine plant explosion. (Epoch Times Photo Archive)
An explosion has killed workers at a chemical plant in Xintai City, Shandong, on Nov. 19. Smoke billowed to the sky and the plant was in flames after liquid cooling devices suddenly exploded during afternoon maintenance.
Xinhua News reported 14 deaths but the figures given by some witnesses were higher.
The extent and danger of the hazardous chemicals released has not yet been determined.
The plant, the Shandong Liaherd Chemical Industry Co, produces 300 thousand tons of melamine annually, but production is now halted until the New Year.
On Nov. 21, Mr. Wang, a worker at the chemical plant, described the tragedy to New Tang Dynasty TV: The [cooling] safety device was on fire when the workers were working on it. 13 people died in the plant, all burned to death. Now the factory is closed and we dont know when it will reopen.
Mrs. Shao, who works for the Limin restaurant near the factory, said that it was a newly opened chemical plant and that the death toll was higher. Eighteen people died and others are still being rescued. The area was filled with pungent smoke and a powerful smell. As of this moment, probably 18 workers have died with more than 10 people who were killed immediately and one is still missing.
A netizen on the BBS Zhongsou (bbs.zhongsou.com) wrote, There were about 20 deaths. The mortuary of the Xintai City Third Hospital was full and some bodies had to be sent elsewhere. The hospitals ambulances raced back and forth! trying to rescue the injured. The emergency medical personnel were all on duty at the ER. Some of the severely injured were transferred to other hospitals, such as the Taian Hospital.
This netizen also disclosed that the pollutants emitted from the factory were highly dangerous. For the time being, its hard to assess the risk and any hidden dangers, the netizen said.
Many others commented on the Internet about the usage of melamine related to this explosion and believe that this is the consequence, or even an instance of retribution, for the melamine used in food as a protein supplement. Some indicated that an investigation should be conducted on the plants that produce melamine that has been used in food.
Melamine has been added to some foods in China, most notoriously to milk, because when the food is tested, the melamine provides a high protein reading. This allows milk producers to dilute their milk, making their businesses more profitable. In 2008, the use of melamine in milk led to a reported 300,000 people in China being taken ill with 6 infants dying of kidney damage.
Chemical plants in mainland China have caused serious pollution and have experienced frequent explosions.
On Nov. 19, a fire at the Chongqing Chuanqing Chemical Plant injured 3 workers. On Nov. 12, one person died in an explosion at a chemical plant in Wenzhou City. On Oct. 14 last year, an explosion at Shanxi Jincheng City Huakai Enterprises Co. (Ltd.) Yangling Chemical Plant caused two deaths.
Original the original Chinese article.
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