Chemical plant explosion forces ships to evacuate Gulei Port
Guangzhou: China’s Ministry of Transport has asked ships docked at Gulei Port in Fujian to evacuate from the port as a safety precaution after an explosion and subsequent fire at a nearby chemical plant.
The plant, near Gulei Port, produces toxic chemical product para-xylene, and on Monday evening an explosion occurred, causing a huge fire which was only put out Wednesday morning.
Residents near the port have been evacuated, and maritime authorities have executed contingency plans based on ocean pollution being caused by the incident.
Gulei port is a major port for petrochemical shipping in Fujian, and a petrochemical industrial park has been developed there over the past two years, with expansion of the park still ongoing.
An explosion occurred at the same chemical plant two years ago.