China biotech factory explosion: Death toll rises to eight in Shanxi

A North China factory blast leaves eight dead as rescue and clean-up operations continue. Photo / Getty Images

An explosion at a biotech factory in northern China has killed eight people, Chinese state media reported, increasing the total number of fatalities by one.

The state news agency Xinhua had previously reported that seven people died and one person was missing after the Saturday morning (local time) explosion at the Jiapeng biotech company in Shanxi province, citing local authorities.

Later, Xinhua said eight were dead, adding that the firm’s legal representative had been taken into custody.

The company is located in Shanyin County, about 400km west of Beijing.

Xinhua said clean-up operations were ongoing, noting that reporters observed dark yellow smoke emanating from the site of the explosion.

Authorities have established a team to investigate the cause of the blast, the report added.

Industrial accidents are common in China because of lax safety standards.

In late January, an explosion at a steel factory in the neighbouring province of Inner Mongolia left at least nine people dead.

– Agence France-Presse