A series of

explosion An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Supersonic explosions created by high explosives are known ...

s caused by an

industrial accident A work accident, workplace accident, occupational accident, or accident at work is a "discrete occurrence in the course of work" leading to physical or mental occupational injury. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), more tha ...

occurred on August 26, 2008 in Yizhou city in

Guangxi province Guangxi (; ; alternately romanized as Kwanghsi; ; za, Gvangjsih, italics=yes), officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in South China and bordering Vietnam ( ...

southwest China Southwest China () is a region in the south of the People's Republic of China. Geography Southwest China is a rugged and mountainous region, transitioning between the Tibetan Plateau to the west and the Chinese coastal hills (东南丘陵) and ...

. The disaster occurred at a factory owned by Guangxi Guangwei Chemical Co. in the development zone of Yizhou cityAssociated Press
16 killed in chemical plant blasts in China
(August 26, 2008).
''New York Times'' (August 27, 2008). According to the state-run

Xinhua News Agency Xinhua News Agency (English pronunciation: )J. C. Wells: Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, 3rd ed., for both British and American English, or New China News Agency, is the official state news agency of the People's Republic of China. Xinhua ...

, "the plant mainly produces

polyvinyl acetate Polyvinyl acetate (PVA, PVAc, poly(ethenyl ethanoate)), commonly known as wood glue, PVA glue, white glue, carpenter's glue, school glue, or Elmer's glue in the US, is a widely available adhesive used for porous materials like wood, paper, and ...

(PVA), which is used in adhesives, calcium carbide, and

vinyl acetate monomer Vinyl acetate is an organic compound with the formula CH3CO2CH=CH2. This colorless liquid is the precursor to polyvinyl acetate and ethene-vinyl acetate copolymers, important industrial polymers. Production The worldwide production capacity of v ...

(VAM), which is used in paints, adhesives and coatings."20 confirmed dead in S China chemical plant blast
Xinhua News Agency (August 27, 2007). The first explosion occurred at about 6 a.m. on August 26 at an

organic compound In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. Th ...

workshop inside the plant; the cause is unknown. Other explosions continued until 1 p.m.

Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames ...

spread over an area of nearly 108,000 square feet (10,000m²). The explosions caused the leak of toxic substances, including

ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogenous ...

formaldehyde Formaldehyde ( , ) ( systematic name methanal) is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula and structure . The pure compound is a pungent, colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde (refer to section ...

acetylene Acetylene ( systematic name: ethyne) is the chemical compound with the formula and structure . It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in its pure ...

, sulfurated hydrogen and

carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide ( chemical formula CO) is a colorless, poisonous, odorless, tasteless, flammable gas that is slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the simpl ...

. At least 20 people were killed and at least 60 were injured; six people remained missing following the explosions. Fearing further explosions and leaks, the government evacuated 11,500 residents. Xinhua quoted the provincial toxic substances emergency center director as saying that the explosions causes no serious air or water pollution. The director also said that dams had been erected to prevent discharge of pollutants into the nearby Long River (Longjiang).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guangxi chemical plant explosions, 2008 Explosions in 2008 Guangxi chemical plant explosions Guangxi chemical plant explosions Chemical plant explosions

Chemical plant explosions A chemical substance is a form of matter having constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Some references add that chemical substance cannot be separated into its constituent elements by physical separation methods, i.e., wit ...

Man-made disasters in China Environmental disasters in China Industrial fires and explosions in China August 2008 events in China

See also

References