Explosion near chemical plant in China kills 22
Beijing, Nov 28 : A huge explosion outside a chemical plant in China's northern Hebei province on Wednesday killed at least 22 people and left as many others injured, the second major industrial accident in the country in the last four days.
The blast occurred outside the Hebei Shenghua Chemical Industry in Zhangjiakou, Qiaodong district around 12:40 am, igniting a fire that engulfed nearby vehicles, the officials were quoted as saying by thepaper.cn, a Shanghai-based website.
An industrial safety official, identified only as Wu, said that one of the trucks lined up outside the plant to deliver chemicals had exploded, setting off a chain reaction that engulfed other trucks.
Chinese news reports, and images from the scene, indicated that a fiery explosion near the plant had set around 50 vehicles ablaze, including dozens of trucks, and sent a dark plume of smoke into the night sky.
The fire has now been contained, and a search operation is underway, authorities said. The injured have been taken to a nearby hospital.
Employees at the Shenghua plant said operation has been suspended out of safety concern.
Shenghua is affiliated with China Haohua Chemical Group, a subsidiary of State-owned ChemChina, which is ranked 167th among Global Fortune 500 enterprises.
Fu Jianhua, the vice-minister of emergency management, has led a team to the site to guide relief work, the report said.
Zhangjiakou, a city about 156 km northwest of Beijing, is set to host the 2022 Winter Olympics alongside the capital.
Industrial safety is a major concern in China, where requirements for the storage and transport of chemicals and other dangerous products are often weakly enforced.
This is the second major industrial explosion in China in the last four days.
Two people were killed and 57 injured in a warehouse explosion in northeast China's Jilin Province on November 24.
A total of 370 houses have been damaged, with 15 having collapsed.
A massive explosion in 2015 traced to improperly stored chemicals killed at least 173 people in Tianjin, about an hour east of Beijing.
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Speculation over Nitish Kumar’s Rajya Sabha entry roils Bihar; Giriraj calls it ‘Holi prank’
Patna (PTI): Bihar was abuzz with speculation on Wednesday over rumours that JD(U) president and the state’s longest-serving Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may move to the Rajya Sabha, paving the way for the BJP to take the top post while accommodating his son Nishant as deputy CM.
However, senior BJP leader and Union minister Giriraj Singh dismissed the rumour as a "Holi prank", asserting "Nitish Kumar ji is the chief minister".
The filing of nomination papers for five Rajya Sabha seats in the state will close on Thursday.
While the BJP has named its two candidates, including national general secretary Nitin Nabin, and confirmed a second consecutive term for junior NDA ally Upendra Kushwaha, the JD(U) is yet to officially announce its nominees.
The rumours of Kumar, who turned 75 earlier this month, being one of the candidates of JD(U), surfaced a day after the party had announced that his son Nishant would be making a belated entry into politics.
Earlier, there were speculations that the reclusive Nishant, who is in his late 40s and is yet to be formally inducted into the JD(U), could be sent straight to the Rajya Sabha.
However, with less than 24 hours left for filling of nomination papers, several media outlets ran reports claiming that the chief minister, who has been at the helm since 2005, could choose the Rajya Sabha route to make an "honourable exit".
According to these unconfirmed reports, the BJP, which has been outperforming the JD(U) in elections, will have its own CM in the only Hindi heartland state where the highest seat of power has eluded it.
These reports also suggested that as a bargain, Kumar could settle for the deputy CM's post for his son.
When Giriraj Singh, who represents Begusarai Lok Sabha seat in the state, was approached with queries, he said, "Today is Holi. Such pranks are common on the occasion. Nitish Kumar ji is the chief minister".
JD(U) MLC Sanjay Kumar alias Gandhi ji, a close aide of the party supremo, reacted with bewilderment when his response was sought to the rumours.
"We have no information about who will be the Rajya Sabha candidates of the party. There is an impression that Union minister Ram Nath Thakur may retain his seat, but that is also not official. As regards the other seat, it is a decision to be taken by the chief minister, who is known to reveal his cards at the eleventh hour. We cannot say anything on the reports in the media," he said.
