Chemical Plant Blast Kills At Least Six

A huge explosion rocked a chemical plant in eastern China on Thursday, killing at least six people and injuring dozens as it knocked down factory buildings, damaged homes and sent a huge plume of smoke skyward.

The windows of houses and a school in the surrounding area were shattered by the force of the explosion, and residents were evacuated amid concerns about toxic fumes, according to authorities and images published by local media.

The latest industrial incident to rock China in recent years occurred at around 2:50 pm at a facility run by Tianjiayi Chemical in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, city officials said on their official Weibo account.

Around the time of the explosion, China's earthquake administration reported a 2.2-magnitude tremor in Lianyungang, a city near the Yancheng blast.

An aerial view of the blast area showed a large swathe of destruction in the industrial park, where multiple fires still raged as firefighters tried to douse them with hoses.

At least six people were killed and 30 seriously injured, while numerous others in the vicinity were slightly injured, city officials said on Weibo.

"At present, on-site rescue is still going on... The cause of the accident is under investigation," officials said.

Rescuers interviewed by state broadcaster CCTV repeatedly described the ground situation as "complex", adding that the focus is still on trying to pull people from the site.

Injured residents near the site of the explosion have been sent to hospital for treatment, according to local authorities.

Medical staff, as well as personnel from the public security bureau and fire department, have been sent to the scene, they added.

Images broadcast by state media showed a huge explosion, with flames engulfing the top of the chemical plant while other shots showed thick grey smoke billowing skyward from the site of the blast.

The explosion occurred following a fire in a fertiliser factory, according to official news agency Xinhua, citing local authorities.

Workers near the site of the blast were trapped after shockwaves from the explosion knocked down nearby factory buildings, the report said.

Workers covered in blood were seen running out of the factory, Xinhua added, citing witnesses.

Pictures from a local news outlet showed a classroom with blown out windows, children's backpacks scattered among broken glass and hastily abandoned schoolwork.

Footage put up late on Thursday by CCTV showed firefighters carrying someone on a stretcher to an ambulance. Another clip showed rescuers walking around a darkened neighbourhood as a voice says "the team is here to look for anyone who might be trapped".

Strong winds around the site helped disperse fumes though there remain concerns about the toxicity of the fumes, Yancheng's environment bureau said in a later statement, adding that residents in the surrounding areas have been "basically evacuated". (AFP)