Plant Explosion Kills At Least 16 In China

A Feb. 28 explosion at an agrochemicals and explosives plant near Shijiazhuang, in northern China, killed at least 16 people and injured more than 40. The blast occurred at Kaer Chemical. According to Shijiazhuang officials, the plant produced ammonium sulfate fertilizer, the rocket fuel guanidine nitrate, and the explosive nitro­guanidine. Both the city of Shijiazhuang and the government of Hebei province posted reports about the accident on their websites. The governments say the cause of the blast is unknown. Officials have vowed to audit safety measures at industrial sites throughout the province and crack down on companies that cut corners.