Fire at chemical factory kills seven

Seven people died and four others were injured in a factory fire in Weifang, Shandong province, on Monday morning, a government official said.

The fire broke out around 9 am at Shandong Rike Chemical Co in Changle county. The cause is under investigation.

The company, which was established in 2003, is a wholesaler of compressed and liquefied gas, including butadiene, styrene and ethyl acrylate, all of which are highly flammable.