In the second incident in a week involving a chemical plant in China, over 6000 people were evacuated on Thursday from the southern city of Guangzhou after an explosion tore through a warehouse at a chemical plant.

The blast took place around 2:35 p.m. at the Futian Chemical Company. Just prior to the explosion, a small amount of hydrogen chloride was detected in the air by the authorities. Hydrogen chloride is a colourless to lightly yellow toxic gas with a strong, irritating smell.

According to the local media firefighters were still at the scene and that an investigation of the accident was under way.

On Saturday, 14 people died because of a chemical plant explosion in the eastern Chinese city of Xintai, state media said.

6,000 people evacuated after chemical plant blast in China

Report by Adhir Roy Chowdury