Six confirmed dead in northwest China factory blast

LANZHOU, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Six people who were missing in a factory explosion in northwest China's Gansu Province have been confirmed dead, local authorities said Friday.

The blast happened at 6:58 p.m. Thursday in a chemical factory in the provincial capital of Lanzhou. Eight people were injured and have since been hospitalized. One has been discharged from the hospital, and the rest are in stable condition.

A work team sent by the Ministry of Emergency Management has arrived at the blast site.