China plant blast kills 12, thousands evacuated

BEIJING, July 28 (Reuters) An explosion today at a chemical plant in east China killed at least 12 people and forced the evacuation of thousands, Xinhua news agency said.

A reactor blew up in a test run in the factory in Sheyang county in the coastal Jiangsu province, the report said.

''Nearly 1,000 rescuers are searching for the possible missing people in the debris and the death toll may increase,'' Xinhua said.

A dozen others were hospitalised with injuries and more than 7,000 residents living nearby had been evacuated, it added.

In November, a petrochemical plant blast in the northeastern province of Jilin killed at least five workers and sent 100 tonnes of toxic benzene compounds into the Songhua River, cutting water supplies to a city of 3 million for days.

The Sheyang factory produces benzene and fluorine related chemicals, Xinhua said. It did not say if the blast had caused any air or water pollution.

REUTERS PKS VV1730