A powerful explosion at a chemical plant in eastern China on Tuesday has left at least five people dead and six others missing, with 19 individuals sustaining injuries. The blast, which occurred at the Shandong Youdao Chemical facility in Weifang, Shandong province, sent a massive plume of orange and black smoke billowing into the sky and caused significant damage to nearby buildings.

Chinese state media, including CCTV and Xinhua, reported that more than 200 emergency workers were dispatched to the scene to respond to the explosion and subsequent blaze. Videos circulating on Chinese social media depicted the intensity of the blast, showing windows of nearby structures ripped from their hinges.

The Shandong Youdao Chemical plant, established in August 2019, manufactures chemical components used in pesticides and pharmaceuticals. It is located in an industrial park in Gaomi city. Corporate registration records indicate the company has over 500 employees, though its website states more than 300.

The cause of the explosion remains unclear. The Weifang Ecological Environment Bureau dispatched staff to monitor potential pollution, advising nearby residents to wear face masks as a precautionary measure.

The incident comes after recent government efforts to enhance safety in the chemical industry. Just less than two weeks prior, the National Ministry of Emergency Management held a workshop on preventing and controlling risks in chemical industrial parks. Notably, the Gaomi Youdao Chemical Co. was cited for "safety risks" at least twice last year, though it was later praised by the Weifang Emergency Management Bureau for its efforts in managing workplace risks, including identifying and rectifying over 800 safety hazards in the first eight months of 2024.

This latest explosion adds to a series of similar incidents in China's chemical plants in recent years, including blasts in Ningxia in 2024 and Jiangxi in 2023. The most devastating occurred in 2015, when two massive explosions at warehouses containing hazardous chemicals in Tianjin killed over 170 people, prompting stricter regulations on chemical storage.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities focused on containing the fire and determining the exact number of people affected by the devastating blast.