Gaomi, Shandong province, China: Residents of Gaomi, a city in eastern China’s Shandong province, are grappling with the aftermath of a powerful explosion at a local chemical plant that killed at least five people and injured 19, while six others remain missing. The blast, which erupted on Tuesday, also released clouds of toxic chemicals and caused widespread property damage, including shattered windows up to a kilometre from the blast site.
Thick black and grey smoke still hung over the Shandong Youdao Chemical plant on Wednesday, as emergency responders combed through the rubble and patrolled the 47-hectare facility. Drone footage captured the extensive devastation, showing multiple buildings leveled by the blast.
Farmer Yu Qianming, 69, recounted how his family evacuated their grandchild as a precaution, although he felt it was still safe to remain at home provided the wind continued to blow from the north. “We’re okay, but the roof took a hit and windows broke,” he told Reuters, displaying the damage to his home caused by falling debris.
Local authorities have not yet released the results of air quality tests, despite public concerns following the column of orange and black smoke that rose from the facility after the explosion.
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Nearby resident Liu Ming, 60, who lives just 500 meters from the plant, is considering relocating after her home and adjacent clothing store sustained significant damage. “I haven’t decided yet,” she said, standing amid broken window frames, glass shards, and scattered merchandise. Another shop owner on the same street suffered a minor head injury during the blast, which struck while he was eating lunch.
The Shandong Youdao Chemical plant, located within the Gaomi Renhe Chemical Industrial Park, was established in August 2019. The facility specializes in the production of chemicals used in pesticides and pharmaceuticals and employs more than 300 workers, according to the company’s website.
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Industrial accidents at chemical plants are not uncommon in China. Recent incidents include an explosion in Ningxia in 2024 and another in Jiangxi in 2023. One of the most devastating occurred in 2015, when two massive blasts at a hazardous materials warehouse in Tianjin claimed over 170 lives and injured more than 700. That tragedy prompted the government to tighten regulations on chemical storage and industrial safety. Later that same year, another explosion at a chemical facility in Shandong resulted in 13 deaths.
As investigations into the cause of the Gaomi explosion continue, families and local residents are left to confront the physical and emotional toll of yet another industrial disaster.
