Pollutants under alert levels after east China factory explosion

Jinan: Air pollutants were well below national alert lines after an explosion occurred at a pharmaceutical factory in east China’s Jinan City on Monday night, local government said.

After monitoring the levels of four major air pollutants near the factory, officials found the content of volatile organic compound and dichloromethane were under alert lines, while acetone and ethyl alcohol were not detected. The blast happened at around 8.50pm in a workshop for waste water reclamation in Qilu Pharmaceutical Company in Dongjia Township, Licheng District.

Firefighters have rushed to the scene. No casualties were reported.

According to the official microblog of the city’s public security bureau, smoke was spotted coming out from the east side of the factory.