Death toll climbs to 9 in Shandong plant explosion

Total fatalities in the deadly explosion at a chemical factory in Liaocheng, Shandong province, have risen to nine after the discovery of four more dead at the site, according to a statement from the administrative commission of the Liaocheng High-tech Industrial Development Zone on Wednesday. The blast left one person injured and one is still missing.

The blast occurred at a hydrogen peroxide production area of Luxi Chemical Group. A State-owned enterprise, the company joined Sinochem Holdings Co in 2020, according to its website.

The fire had been extinguished as of Monday afternoon.

The injured person is being treated at a local hospital while rescue work is still underway. An investigation on the blast's cause is also ongoing.