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China factory blast

August 2, 2014

An explosion at a metals factory in eastern China has killed dozens of workers and injured scores more. The blast is thought to have been caused by dust set alight by open flames.

https://p.dw.com/p/1CnkV
Medical personnel transport a victim (C) at a hospital after an explosion at a factory in Kunshan, Jiangsu province August 2, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer (
Image: Reuters

At least 65 workers were killed and more than 100 were injured in the blast and fire on Saturday morning at a factory in the city of Kunshan in Jiangsu province, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said in an internet post.

An earlier report by the official Xinhua News Agency put the death toll at 40 with at least 120 injured.

Xinhua said the explosion occurred at a workshop where wheel hubs are polished. It said initial investigations showed that the blast may have been caused by flames igniting dust produced by the polishing.

CCTV identified the factory as Zhongrong Plating, a company whose clients include General Motors and other US companies, according to its website.

More than 200 workers were at the site when the explosion happened, according to the state broadcaster.

It said 40 died at the site, and more than 20 others died in hospital of their injuries.

Kunshan is about 1,000 km (600 miles) from the capital, Beijing.

tj/kms (Reuters, AP, AFP)