How Lax Safety Standards Led to Fatal Blast at Kunshan Factory

(Beijing) -- An early August explosion in one of China's manufacturing hubs has rung another alarm about the country's work safety issues.

The accident occurred on August 2 at 7:37 a.m., just over half an hour into the morning shift at Zhongrong Metal Products Co. in Kunshan, in the eastern province of Jiangsu. Accumulated metal dust in a polishing workshop ignited, causing a large explosion. Forty-four people were killed on the spot, while another 31 died later in hospitals. Some 185 we injured.