China: 5 Dead, 19 Injured After Massive Explosion Rocks Chemical Plant In Shandong

Shandong Youdao Chemical, a subsidiary of Himile Group, which also owns the listed Himile Mechanical (002595.SZ).

An explosion in a chemical plant in China's eastern province of Shandong.

Source : X

Five people died and 19 were injured after a large explosion occurred at a chemical plant in the eastern province of Shandong, China, on Tuesday, according to a report by Associated Press quoting CCTV.

5 dead and 19 injured in chemical plant explosion in China, reports AP, quoting CCTV

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 27, 2025

Following the explosion, the emergency services arrived at the spot and began the rescue operation along with treatment efforts in the workshop of Shandong Youdao Chemical, the new agency Reuters cited state media reports.

Several videos of the explosion have surfaced on social media showing a grey smoke coming out from the site, which has blanketed the sky in the vicinity.

Massive explosion at Youdao Chemical Co. in Gaomi County, Shandong, China today.
Thick smoke visible for miles. Emergency crews on site for rescue & medical aid. Cause unknown, response ongoing. #China pic.twitter.com/q5v0BIHeG5

— KarmaYogi (@karma2moksha) May 27, 2025

Shandong Youdao Chemical, a subsidiary of Himile Group, which also owns the listed Himile Mechanical (002595.SZ), saw its parent company’s shares fall nearly 4 per cent on Tuesday afternoon. 

According to its website, Youdao was established in August 2019 in Gaomi Renhe chemical park in Weifang city, covering over 47 hectares and employing more than 300 people. The company specializes in developing, producing, and selling technologies for pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and fine chemical intermediates. 

In recent years, China has witnessed several explosions at chemical plants, including incidents in Ningxia in 2024 and Jiangxi in 2023.

14 Died In Suspected Chemical Explosion At Iran's Bandar Abbas Port

In a separate incident, at least 14 people were killed and more than 700 injured in a huge blast probably caused by the explosion of chemical materials at Iran's biggest port, Bandar Abbas, on April 27, 2025, reported Iranian state media. 

The explosion occurred as Iran began a third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman; however, Reuters reported that there has been no indication of a link between the two events. 

Iran's crisis management organisation's spokesperson, Hossein Zafari, appeared to blame the explosion on poor storage of chemicals in containers at Shahis Rajaee, the section of the port where the explosion took place.