The death toll in an explosion at a chemical plant in eastern China has risen to 44, with another 90 people seriously injured, the local government reported Friday. Thursday's blast at the Tianjiayi Chemical plant in the city of Yancheng is one of China's worst industrial accidents in years. China experiences frequent industrial accidents despite orders from the central government to improve safety at factories, power plants and mines. Among the worst accidents was a massive 2015 explosion at a chemical warehouse in the port city of Tianjin that killed 173 people, most of them firefighters and police officers. In November, at least 22 people were killed and scores of vehicles destroyed in an explosion outside a chemical plant in the northeastern city of Zhangjiakou, which will host competitions in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Source: CBC News March 22, 2019 03:11 UTC