Deadly explosion hits China chemical plant

An explosion at a chemical plant in east China has killed at least 47 people, raising the prospect of renewed scrutiny of China's patchy chemical safety record.

The explosion hit Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical, a producer of hydroxybenzoic acid and methyl phenoxide. The company buys small amounts of benzene from the market. Jiangsu province, where the explosion occurred, is a hub for chemical production.

The blast left at least 90 people critically injured and triggered a 2.2-magnitude earthquake, according to China's earthquake administration.

The emergency management ministry has dispatched a team to facilitate rescue efforts.

Jiangsu Tianjiayi is China's second-largest dyeing intermediate manufacturer, producing 10,000 t/yr of m-phenylenediamine. The explosion has had an immediate impact on the dye industry and caused a surge in prices of dye products.

China has stepped up safety checks at chemical plants in recent years. A massive chemical explosion in the port city of Tianjin in 2015 killed 173 people in one of the country's worst industrial accidents.