Explosion at chemical factory in China

Beijing [China], July 2 : An explosion at a chemical plant in Southeast China on Saturday sent huge billows of thick black smoke into the air, CNN reported.

The blast took place at a plant owned by the silicon oil production company Jiangxi QianTai New Materials at around noon in the city of Guixi, Jiangxi province, according to Chinese state media outlet CCTV.

Videos circulated on social media show firefighters urging people to keep their distance.

Footage posted on Weibo by CCTV and People's Daily, another Chinese state media outlet, showed a huge plume of black smoke billowing into the air and emergency services attending to the scene, as per CNN.

Initial reports suggest that the explosion occurred after silicon oil caught fire, according to CCTV.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire that led to the explosion.

No injuries have been reported and people living nearby have been evacuated.

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