The big fire caused by a chemical plant blast that occurred on Friday morning has been extinguished with at least four people seriously injured in the accident but no death reported so far, local government sources said.

At around 8:00 AM on Friday, an explosion happened at the Shanghai Yuanda Peroxides Co., Ltd., a mainland-Hong Kong joint venture, in Baoshan District, northern Shanghai. Four people were critically injured in the blast, which caused thick smoke and a big fire.

In a related development, another blast took place at around 9:00 Friday morning at the Fudu Chemical Plant in Linhai Township, Sheyang County of east China's Jiangsu Province.

Three people were confirmed dead and at least 12 others were injured in the accident. Rescuers have rushed to the site and sent the injured to a local hospital.

(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2006)