A huge explosion rocked China’s Shandong Aocter Chemical Plant in Gaotang County, Shandong Province, on Jan. 14 at around 6:45 a.m. The plant lay in ruins, and nearby residences were also destroyed.
The explosion was so strong that seven out of eight rooms in the Aocter Chemical Plant completely collapsed, and the entire plant was covered with debris and ashes. Vehicles parked near the site were damaged from flying debris. The shock wave also damaged several nearby factories, and caused the collapse of an entire block of residential buildings 30 meters to the north of the factory, leaving more than 40 families homeless.
An employee at the plant told Qilu Evening News that the explosion happened in the choline chloride room, which is the most dangerous area and the highest paid work unit in the plant.
