WafricNews – May 27, 2025

Shandong, China - A massive explosion tore through a chemical plant in eastern China on Tuesday, leaving at least five people dead and six still unaccounted for, according to local officials. The blast, which erupted just before noon, shook Gaomi city in Shandong Province, sending a towering cloud of gray and orange smoke over the industrial district.

The explosion occurred in a workshop at Shandong Youdao Chemical, a facility specializing in the production of pesticides and pharmaceutical intermediates. The cause of the blast has not been disclosed.

Authorities confirmed 19 others sustained minor injuries, while images and videos posted on Chinese social media showed windows shattered and buildings damaged across a wide radius of the industrial park.

Witnesses described hearing a loud bang followed by a forceful shockwave. A hotel employee located over three kilometers from the blast site said the explosion "lasted only a moment, but the sound was quite loud." At another factory nearly six kilometers away, a worker said a sudden rush of air slammed into the building, damaging windows and doors.

In response to the emergency, local authorities deployed 232 rescue personnel and 55 fire vehicles. China's Ministry of Emergency Management also sent reinforcements to assist with search and rescue operations and to assess environmental impact.

Shandong Youdao Chemical, founded in 2019 and occupying more than 46 hectares in the Gaomi Renhe Chemical Park, is owned by Himile Group, a firm with additional holdings in listed industrial equipment maker Himile Mechanical, whose shares dropped nearly 4% following the incident.

The company employs more than 300 people and is one of many players in China's vast chemical manufacturing sector—a sector that has faced increasing scrutiny over safety standards.

This latest explosion has drawn comparisons to the 2015 Tianjin disaster, when a series of blasts at a chemical storage site killed over 170 people and left a lasting environmental toll. The new incident renews concerns about regulatory oversight and industrial safety enforcement in China’s rapidly expanding industrial zones.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the Gaomi explosion as rescue teams continue to search for the missing.


By WafricNews Desk.