Pharmaceutical Factory in Henan Explodes Twice in 5 Days, Resulting in 7 Deaths and 3 Injuries.

In Henan Province, Xiangcheng City, two explosions occurred at the Hongqi Biological Plant on March 20 and 25, resulting in a total of 7 deaths and 3 injuries. This news made it to the top search on Baidu on April 3.

According to the report from the New Beijing News on April 1, the Henan Provincial Emergency Management Department confirmed that an explosion took place at the Hongqi Biotechnology Co., Ltd. in Xiangcheng City, Zhoukou on March 20, resulting in 6 deaths and 3 injuries.

Local residents revealed to the New Beijing News on April 1 that on March 25, there were two more explosions at the Hongqi Biological Plant, leading to the death of an excavator driver who was working on-site.

On the afternoon of April 1, the Henan Provincial Emergency Management Department confirmed another explosion at the Hongqi Biological Plant in Xiangcheng City, resulting in one fatality.

On March 31, the Henan Emergency Management Department reported that, according to preliminary investigations, Hongqi Biotechnology Co., Ltd. rented out its plant to Yitou New Materials Co., Ltd. for the production of pharmaceutical intermediates. Subsequently, Yitou New Materials Co., Ltd. subcontracted the production to Santelli Biotechnology Co., Ltd. in Xiangcheng City. The explosion occurred due to the decomposition explosion of acyl diazene oxide caused by over-temperature in the reaction kettle during illegal production. The cause of the accident is still under further investigation.

Netizen “rong若曦” revealed: “Many people were injured in the second explosion, even more so in the first one. The driver operating the excavator had his legs blown off in the second explosion.”