Just hours after we reported that a "mysterious illness" resulting from inhalation of toxic chemical fumes was causing hundreds of school children to fall ill in China's Jiangsu Province, we're now learning that a massive chemical explosion and fire has taken place in the same province.
The explosion triggered a blaze, the local news portal 163.com reported. Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from a reservoir that was used to store chemicals and fuel. There were no immediate reports of casualties or a possible cause of the explosion. Witnesses described a strong smell of chemicals. Seven fire crews are struggling to contain the fire, the Caijing magazine said. Fire has spread to two fuel reservoirs after two cisterns burned out.
Firefighters were still battling a blaze that broke out at a chemical warehouse in Jiangsu province as of 3:30pm following a blast this morning, Xinhua reports.
Reuters confirmed that a fire broke out at a chemical warehouse following a blast around 9am in China's eastern Jiangsu province. As of right now no casualties have been reported, and the government has said the fire is now under control.
Some of the dramatic footage.
Blast hits chemical warehouse in #China’s Jinjianghttps://t.co/UdauJV4JEZ pic.twitter.com/2XAuPTHhs7
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) April 22, 2016
#BREAKING Explosion(s) occurred at a warehouse of chemical products in Jingjiang, E #China's Jiangsu Fri morning pic.twitter.com/03RzsOx2bd
— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) April 22, 2016
A warehouse storing chemical products exploded and caught fire in east China's Jiangsu Province on Friday morning pic.twitter.com/0shtHwxrW7
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) April 22, 2016
Chemical Warehouse on Fire in East China, Casualty Unknown #Warehouse https://t.co/qRH3HcZAcJ pic.twitter.com/xzM9LnS90K
— China Radio Int'l (@ChinaPlusNews) April 22, 2016
In Pictures: Fire breaks out at chemical warehouse in Jiangsu https://t.co/euKcdrgRUohttps://t.co/F9PGYZKk30
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) April 22, 2016