Oxygenerator Blast Death Toll Rises to 19

Oxygenerator Blast Death Toll Rises to 19

By 8:30 pm Monday, the death toll rose to 19 in a major oxygenerator explosion in an iron and steel plant in east China's Jiangxi Province early this morning, with three others still missing and 24 injured.

The blast occurred at 00:10 am when an oxygenerator was undergoing overhauling in Pingxiang Iron and Steel Plant. The blast led to the collapse in part of a two-story cement-brick workshop building.

Governor Shu Shengyou and other officials rushed to the scene, along with public security officers and fire fighters to supervise rescue work.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, sources said.