Latest Blast at PX Plant in Fujian Rekindles Public's Worries

(Beijing) – A large explosion and fire at a chemical plant in Zhangzhou, in the eastern province of Fujian, has rekindled the public's concern about the security of petroleum projects and the adequacy of government oversight, and experts say the incident may further exacerbate this distrust.

The explosion at the Dragon Aromatics Plant at 6:56 p.m. on April 6 involved a paraxylene, or PX, facility on the Gulei Peninsula. Government investigators said the blast was caused by a chemical leak and that four oil tanks were involved. The plant is controlled by the Taiwanese petrochemical producer Xianglu Group.