Death toll rises to 23 in blast at explosives plant in eastern China
by The Associated Press
10 still missing, 19 others injured by explosion at factory in Shandong province
BEIJING—The death toll from a massive blast at an explosives plant in eastern China has risen to 23 with 10 people still missing.
The official Xinhua News Agency said 19 others were injured by the explosion, which ripped through the plant in Shandong province May 20.
The blast was so strong that 10 of those killed could only be identified by their DNA.
Experts from the State Administration of Work Safety have been sent to the factory and are investigating the cause of the explosion.
China has sought to tighten access to explosives used for quarrying following a series of attacks by people using homemade bombs.
However, safety rules are often ignored and industrial accidents remain common.
