E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSAn explosion at a chemical plant in northern China has killed at least 16 people and left dozens more missing. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports.
BEIJING -- An explosion at a chemical plant in northern China on Tuesday killed at least 16 people, injured more than 40 and left dozens missing.
Fears of new blasts later halted rescue efforts, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.
The official Xinhua News Agency said that about 100 people were working at the Hebei Zhaoxian Keeper Chemical Co. plant in Hebei province's Zhaoxian county when a workshop was flattened.
Xinhua quoted Zhaoxian deputy chief Wu Haijiang as saying that rescue work had been stopped due to the risk of explosions.
China's State Administration of Work Safety said on its website that the blast happened during the production of guanidine nitrate, a high-energy fuel and propellant.
'I couldn't move any more'
However, China Daily reported that the plant mainly produces pesticides. It added that the force of the explosion broke windows more than a mile from the site.
The newspaper quoted worker Li Jianfei, 24, as telling China Central Television that he heard three explosions.
AP
Tuesday's blast flattened a workshop at a chemical plant in northern China and shattered windows in surrounding villages.
"When I crawled out of the workshop, I couldn't move any more," he added. "It was someone else who carried me to the ambulance."
The Associated Press and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
Leave a Comment:
Almost every country that has chemical factories have had mishaps at some time or another. So what makes this big news?
Maybe the loss of life Sal, or just further evidence of generally unsafe working conditions in that particular country. Production geared up for speed, speed, speed - pushed, in many cases, by the demands of Western companies seeking the cheapest, most prolific output. Quality compromised, safety suffers...
Yuck to be killed like a bug how awful..I'm sure they'll rebuild.
Sally...I suppose that the Tsunami in Japan should not have been reported either huh. If it does not happen in the USA then it is not news?
Perhaps you do not realize that there may be people in the USA who have relatives who live in that area and may even work at that plant?
Plus it is news because it was a blast a chemical plant and many people died and are injured.
Peace....
The plant issued a Press Release: "We would like to take time to say sorry to the families who lost someone yesterday but we also would like to let everyone know that we now have at least 16 openings and we are taking applications immediately"
Maybe it's owned by US manufacturors..eh! No unions to protect people there, just work them like "S.L.A.V.E.S"
What do you think? It might not just be because it's in China, you buy the good every day and that's why it's "big news." Most American factories are out there, and your generalization shows just how little of a philosophical mind you have.
I do my damnest not to buy the "made in China" junk. There is no need to buy that crap. Go to the web site: Anericansworking.com and see just what you can purchase, and it's all made here by our fellow citizens.
who owns the company ?
did you read the story about the 50,000 chickens abandoned and left to starve to death in california ?
it was owned by a chinese guy .
Thank you for that website, SallyAnn! I'll definitely check it out!
@Salomenini
Unions don't protect people. All unions want is a cut.
I was on a job site all weekend paying great wages to 16 guys with one union turd running around spouting off how they should join the union. Three times I had to ask him to get back to work and quit yip-yapping. He threatened to go to his union rep and report me.
Paying rates at $100.00/ hour for fellas without a high school GED wearing Prada glasses, who complain about the work I am giving them? No wonder the companies I represent are sending jobs oversees. I work extremely hard to offer high competitive wages for under-qualified workers. But your unions sure do make it difficult when I have to pay someone $20.00/hour to vacuum.
The Unions are lost. Reorganize them to reflect the current economic climate and educational or working value of the employee. Get back to "A Fair Wage for an Honest Day" and I will support your union claims. Too much of "that ain't my job" mentality with the union workers of America.
@ J-DOGGIN
There is a difference in quality of work between union and non-union trades whether you want to admit it or not. I work as a facilities engineer at a public school. The buildings that had union iron workers, masons, electricians and plumbers are top notch - put together correctly and perform very well. The ones that had non-union trades involved are my biggest problem buildings. In other words - offer to pay your plumbers $10/hr and thats what you get.
In the interest of transparency - engineer by education and never been in a union.
I agree with you J-Doggin. I work in a small Non Union manufacturing company here in the States. We make good wages, and have good benefits. Are there companies that treat their employees like slaves? Sure there are. Would a union change that any? Doubtful. While it might mean the employees are paid more, it also means that the Union gets a cut of those higher wages. So it evens out.
It's the unions that have caused the jobs to move overseas. That and the American consumer. We want More More More, for Less Less Less. The Union wages couldn't make that happen, so the companies went elsewhere.
The unions had their place years ago. It set working hours, and helped institute the child labor laws. But today? They have no place.
Dogger,
Why are you offering high competitive wages for "under-qualified" workers? By your logic, wouldn't you be getting tons of "overqualified" applicants for your "great wage paying" non-union positions? Maybe you should tell us about how you really feel about the people you employ and paying them anything at all?
Mike I would have to disagree with you greatly about Union work being better than Non-Union work. Years ago doing our expansion we were building brand new jewelery stores. We had a company that would travel to the different states build the stores and move on they were tremendous. When we went into a Union state we would have to use Union workers or we couldn't build, the cost was double the length of time almost 3 times longer and the work was total crap. After the Union workers "finished" the job and we got the C.O. then our guys would go in and fix everything.
My favorite story was the Union electrician messed up the wiring to the sign so when the Union sign guy came in to install the sign he said it was wrong. Our guy said can you fix it he said "It is easy but I'm not allowed you will have to call a union electrician to do it" So our guy said he would fix it but the sign guy said if he did they would all walk. So we had to call the Union rep who sent another electrician out and charged us again.
Unions are a good example of why free trade wont work,people in other countrys cant afford our products.
I beleave it should be made here and sold here,if unions make the product only so many people could afford the product. Union pensions are under funded and cost taxpayers as your pension has guarantees made by the government to fund them.Just because president Obama sold his soul to the unions dosent mean the rest of the usa is so crazy about them.
Good example of why OSHA and federal workplace regulations are needed. I can't stand when (R) say "cut regulations" This is a great example of what happens when you do that.....
I'm Just Sayin'..........
Mr. Benevolence
Sure..... When told three times to get back to work and quit yip yapping before lunch, yes, it is felt that the individual is getting paid too much. When I have to ask two, three and more times to get something done properly, even when well documented, accurate drawings are available to perform the work properly in the first place, yes, I feel like I am paying you too much. Do I wish I could offer more to the harder, smarter workers and less to the others? Yes.
This is exactly why we offer the wages we do to sub contractors we employee. They are laborers. People with lower educational value and working knowledge. Do I feel as though they are less valuable as an employee who offers value to my projects? Yes. Do we offer more to get the better of the labor pool? Yes. Do I need a union rep giving me what he's got available to fit the quote at a set wage for all laborers? HECK no!
I know I can not get my jobs completed without the people below me supporting me. I am fully on board with paying good wages to those who help my company shine with excellence. Should I be forced to pay those high wages to people who aren't qualified, or are performing menial task through union obligation? No.
As I said before "A fair wage for an honest days work" and I can get back on board with unions. The days of "that ain't my job" have driven / are driving all sectors of work in this country to the gutter. Private and Public.
And finally yes. They are overpaid for the work they perform.
Several years ago, the University of Georgia had two identical buildings built. They decided to have one go union, one go non union. The union one was 33% higher on the bid than the non union. The union job came in under time, and no call backs to fix something.
The non union job went over time, and when completed, it was a bunch of call backs. The university ended up calling in the union workers to fix the screwup's the non union did. After it was all over, the university found out is was 33% cheaper, overall, to have unions build their buildings.
That should explain why union help does know their jobs, and they do produce. But the union haters won't even research this, they will just complain about unions.
The people living in China and other poor countries are so desperate to earn a few pennies that they would work anywhere.
To:ron17571-
You are a perfect example of why we need public education. You have been totally miseducated. The explosion that happened in China, India and other countries did happen here in the US. This was the cause of the labor law movement. Also, the American people or government does not pay the union pensions for union workers. The union workers pay their own dues and into their penion. The corporations are support to hold and invest the funds for the workers but now they are trying not to pay the workers what they have worked for.
I am sure it is a little more complicated than this but you need to go to your library and do you own reading on the labor movement instead of listening to your conservative counterparts!
SallyAnn can you source that report of yours. I have been looking and can't find anything about it. Is that a fact that you can point us to or is that a story you heard?
Sorry SallyAnn I tried even more sources to verify your story and I cannot so I will just go with it was made up. I found it hard to believe when I read your post so I wanted to see for myself and cannot find anything to support it. So as of now I believe it to be a false story. But if you can source it please let me know.
Well, first off as it relates to the story condolences to those who lost loved ones and hope those who were injured will make it through ok.
Otherwise I would say I agree with Doggin. I support the theory of the unions, protecting workers rights, and they did a great service for the working man everywhere at the turn of the century in this country. Lot of bad stuff got corrected and I'm thankful for that. However, like Doggin said, I agree that many (not all) of the unions have lost their way and have become no better than the greedy owners they were trying to protect workers against. The fact is in some places I would say unions are no longer needed and in others they probably are but need to be revamped. Best case I say employee owned. However you want to look at it, for all the good unions did I think recently they have done alot more harm, and its time for them to change. And that includes crazy wages for people performing menial tasks (also the part about not my job or I can't do that, sometimes that is true but in some cases complete bs, do it and stop costing people extra money). I support people making a good wage but if you stock shelves in a store I don't think you should be paid $20hr nor do I think the part time bag boy should be having some of his check taken to support a union that he gets no benefit from. If you are a skilled carpenter or electrician ect. then yeah I'd say you deserve it and then some, but within reason. Like the greedy owners who need to stop stiffing the workers so they can make more profit, some of the unions need to get back out there and revisit just what it is they do and what their purpose is.
As to those like SallyAnn, you are full of it and need to ease off the kool aide. There are plenty of open shop companies that have top notch employees who do amazing work, and pay them right. Just like there are unions that have top notch employees who take pride in their work and do a good job too. And both sides also have the don't care just trying to take your money or collect a check workers and companies out there, you just have to do your homework. I'll say this in my area, both are good and bad but usually the open shop does a much better job.
It is time
I think it was a Meth lab.
More likely chemical weapons......WMDs.
There's only another Billion to take their place
OMG! Were any copies of the Koran destroyed?...oops...I meant OMA!
I spent alot of time in Hebei District. I liked Harbin. Many factories are Western but not just USA. Germany, France, England and even other Asian countries have factories there such as Korea and Japan.
they are us in the 1920's & 30's unions save lives and maximize profit's for "everyone" not just the 1%!
HOW LONG BEFORE OBAMA, the messiah, APOLOGIZES FOR IT???!!!
finally some good news
Chinese quality control strikes again
Maybe we could lend them some money to help them out...That's right we don't have any!
China has no laws or safety organizations to prevent the harm or death to workers. Here in the US the right wing Republicans rail at government intrusion with branches of the federal government to provide safety for workers in mines and plants, it's called OSHA. the Republicans want to get rid of it so they can operate just like China, we can see how well that's working can't we?
This could be the dumbest statement of the day
No, he's right on point. It is just what republicans want to happen. as a matter of fact, it's (R) policy!!
Who cares about China or whether their people die. Their own people don't care about one another. They walk by people dying in the street and give no aid. Run over children and keep driving. All they will care about is replacing the Dead and Missing and getting back to work.
And Obamanation wants the United States to be "Just Like" the Chinese. He can kiss my but, We and I am talking about These United States are and will be the best in the world. For all, ALL the explorations have come from the USA. If it weren't for the United States all the world would be back in the dark ages. So Mr Obamanation you can kiss my but.
prayers for those souls
Just remember this...with a Romney, Paul, Santorum, or other Republican administration OSHA would be done away with. This would put the U.S. labor force back in the 1800's, when miners, steelworkers and any other worker at risk.
Those air bags you drivers are so fond of, safe food and drugs regulations would be curtailed.
What I am saying is this....do not return the United States back to the "Robber Barons"
This solid rocket propellant, guanidine nitrate, they were making at the time...whose missiles do you suppose it was destined for?
(...sorry about ending in a preposition, there...)
Only a couple of people are the spell cops. Just ignore them.
Spelling cops?? where r thay at?
(Come get me spelling coppers, I dare ya!!)
I guess this is what happens when you hire all those Communist Union Workers. They were probably working them triple 20 hour shifts...
Go Bless the Innocent!
I just love when people downgrade unions. You have no idea what you're talking about. As for the idiot that had all the workers (16 I think) I really doubt that you own your business. If you did you wouldn't be here. You just like to jump in on the union bashing. Union workers are there because you bid a job based on your ability to make a profit. If a union worker (especially in construction) isn't doing the job, you fire him and call the hall for a replacement. I've been on both sides, I would hire union any day over non union. They go through apprenticeships sometimes up to 5 years to learn their trade and usually lot more often than not are very proud of their work. Besides what does this have to do with the article.
I am Pro Union, I was trying to be sarcastic. If it weren't for Unions we would all be slaves which is where we are headed now if something isn't done about it.
68% of the "Greatest Generation", WWII Generation were Union and that was the Era of our Greatest Prosperity. Single Earner Households, 40 Hour Workweeks, Real Pensions, Medical and Dental over and above your pay and the Generation that gave us the Apollo Missions, then Corporate America took over...
At the height of union representation 32% of the work force was unionized.
Condolences and prayers go to the victims' families and friends. Please review the safety measures. Pray that there are no more deaths.
Sounds like solid rocket propellant?