Five injured, four missing in China factory blast

WUHAN - Five people were injured, and four others went missing after a flash explosion at a chemical plant on Monday afternoon in Central China's Hubei province, local authorities said.

The accident happened at around 5:30 pm in a workshop of an organic silicon company in the city of Xiantao.

The fire was put out at 7 pm and all the injured were taken to hospital, according to the city's publicity department.

Rescuers are searching for the missing people.

The cause of the accident is being investigated.

XINHUA