THE blast at a chemical plant in the southeastern Fujian Province on Monday evening was caused by fire at a xylene facility, an initial investigation revealed yesterday.

    According to investigators, a xylene facility leaked oil and caught fire, which led to a blast and a fire at three nearby oil storage tanks at Tenglong Aromatic Hydrocarbon (Zhangzhou) Co. Ltd. on the Gulei Peninsula in Zhangzhou City.

    Nine experts were at the site to investigate in the accident.

    Health authorities said six injured people were being treated in the hospital, while another 13 people had received medical examinations as of 7 a.m. yesterday.

    Environmental protection authorities have dispatched more than 50 personnel to monitor the environment. Wastewater has been collected and no excessive pollutants have been detected in three nearby villages.

    Residents of the area have been evacuated and the fire has been contained. The fire department has sent 177 fire engines and 829 firefighters to battle the blaze.

    This is the second accident in 20 months at the same facility, which produces paraxylene (PX), an industrial chemical used for making fiber and plastics.

    The plant was hit by another explosion in July 2013, although there were no reports of casualties or toxic leaks at the time.

    PX plants are highly controversial in China, and proposed plants have met strong public opposition in recent years.

    The Zhangzhou plant was originally slated to be built in Xiamen. However, it provoked an angry backlash in 2007 due to pollution concerns and prompted the local government to relocate the factory to its current, more remote location.

    In March last year thousands of demonstrators also took to the streets of Maoming in Guangdong Province, for days of demonstrations against another PX plant.

    The environment minister said in March that construction of PX projects must be scientifically decided and must pass environmental impact assessment.

    (SD-Xinhua)

    (SD-Xinhua)