Death Toll Rises to 9 in Deadly Explosion at Chinese Steel Plant

Preliminary investigations reveal that the explosion originated on Sunday from a massive 650-cubic-meter water and steam tank. The blast was so powerful that it injured at least 84 people, all of whom were rushed to the hospital. Videos circulating on social media show the factory roof collapsed and the area turned into rubble. During the explosion, a large metal object was seen being launched into the sky, believed to be a part of the plant's machinery.

Residents living several kilometers away reported that the intensity of the blast shook their homes and shattered numerous window panes. Local authorities quickly deployed fire brigades and rescue teams to the site. This is not the first such horrific industrial accident in China; last June, nine people were killed in a fireworks factory in Hunan province, and in 2015, an explosion at a chemical warehouse in Tianjin claimed more than 170 lives. This latest incident has reignited debates regarding safety lapses in industrial zones.