Pollution containment stepped up at site of Yancheng chemical factory blast in China
- Dangerous chemicals are being taken to new sites to prevent secondary pollution amid reports of leaks from storage tanks
- Rescue operations expanded to nearly 2 sq km, with 28 still reported missing
Pollution containment has been stepped up and rescue operations expanded in response to Thursday’s deadly pesticide plant explosion in the city of Yancheng, Jiangsu province, with officials reporting leakage from chemical storage tanks on site.
Yancheng mayor Cao Lubao on Sunday said the scope of the rescue efforts after the blast at the Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical plant had broadened from 1.1 sq km to nearly 2 sq km.
Cao said six rounds of search operations had been conducted in the first 72 hours after the explosion, which flattened the Tianjiayi plant and damaged neighbouring factories in the Chenjiagang Industrial Park. Most buildings in the park had been searched, but operations to rescue any remaining survivors continued in four factories.