This is an interesting “press release” from the Chinese Government regarding the country’s accident history in May.
History: Hazardous chemical accidents in May
Petrochemicals
Sinopec Shanghai Seiko Petrochemical Company large flash explosion accident
On May 12, 2018, a flash explosion occurred during the inspection and maintenance operation of Sinopec Shanghai Seiko Petrochemical Company, which killed six (6) people. The direct cause of the accident is that the floating plate aluminum alloy floating box assembly of the floating roof storage tank in the 75-TK-0201 has internal leakage fluid (benzene), and during the removal of the floating box, the benzene in the floating box is discharged on the bottom of the storage tank and is not cleaned in time, and the flammable benzene vapor is mixed with the air to form an explosive mixture. In the tank operator to remove the floating box process, the use of non-explosive tools and operating processes generated ignition energy. In the case of mixed gas ignition, the high temperature generated by combustion will melt other aluminum alloy floating boxes, so that the floating box accumulates benzene leakage caused by continuous combustion.
PetroChina Lanzhou Petrochemical Company major fire accident (Open Fire ignited leaking vapors)
On May 29, 2006, a fire accident at the organic plant of PetroChina Lanzhou PetroChina Petrochemical Company killed four (4) people. The direct cause of the accident was that the maintenance personnel carried out the painting operation in the waste acid recovery unit of the aniline device, benzene leakage occurred, and the fire was caused by the on-site open fire.
Liaoning Fushun Petrochemical Ethylene Chemical Co., Ltd. Big Bang
On May 16, 1997, an explosion accident occurred in Liaoning Fushun Petrochemical Ethylene Chemical Company, killing four (4) people. The direct cause of the accident was the failure of the ethylene oxide device, the discharge of a large number of combustible process circulating gas (including methane, ethylene, and other gases), the gas drifted to the air separation device and was sucked into the device, and the liquid oxygen reaction in the device caused the explosion.
Xinjiang Dushanzi Petrochemical Plant Refinery large flash explosion accident (Using non-rated pump in HAZLOC)
On May 7, 1988, a flash explosion occurred at the refinery of the Dushanzi Petrochemical Plant in Xinjiang, killing five (5) people. The direct cause of the accident is that the sewage (including a large number of light oil components) in the sewage treatment tank in the sewage treatment tank of the sewage treatment tank in the oil treatment tank of the oil supply and drainage workshop of the refinery supply and drainage workshop is planned to be discharged into the pool according to the overhaul plan, the volatile gas is volatile and aggregation, and the air in the pool after the drop in the liquid surface, forming an explosive mixture of gases. The operator enters the oil separator to connect the submersible pump, and the pump generates an electric spark in the case of electric charging, causing a flash explosion.
Coal chemical
Sichuan Guangyuan Tiansen Coal Chemical Company Big Bang Accident (Hot Work Explosion)
On May 2, 2014, an explosion occurred at Sichuan Guangyuan Tiansen Coal Chemical Company, killing three (3) people. The direct cause of the accident was that three (3) construction personnel installed a drainage pump on the oil seder sedimentation tank, and in the absence of a fire operation ticket, the arc welding machine was used to weld the cover of the sedimentation tank, and Mars dropped from the sedimentation tank observation hole into the pool, causing the fuel gas mixture to cause the explosion.
Fine chemical
Shandong Weifang Gao Youdao Chemical Company Major Explosion (2-nitro-3-methylbenzoic acid)
On May 27, 2025, an explosion occurred in the nitrification workshop of Gaotiao Dao Chemical Company in Weifang, Shandong Province, killing 12 people. The accident is directly caused by the self-developed 2-nitro-3-methylbenzoic acid continuous flow production process technology is defective, the material is easy to accumulate and block; without strict experiments, the unqualified intermethylbenzoic acid is not qualified as raw materials, resulting in nitrification product crystal change, centrifugal acid removal is not complete, nitro acid content in nitro, heat stability decreased, heat stability decreased; accumulated in the pipe chain machine in the nitro, nitrification in the nitro.
Hubei Xuefei Chemical Company Big Bang accident
On May 9, 2024, Hubei Xiangyang Xuefei Chemical Company’s nitrified cotton production cooking and washing section 1# boiling pot exploded during the cooking operation, killing three (3) people. The direct cause of the accident is that the seal part of the inner drain valve of the boiling and washing pot is partially detached, the seal is not strict, due to the internal leakage, the level of the boiling and washing pot is reduced, the upper cantish cotton is in a state of water loss, in the 135 °C high temperature water vapor environment, the heat of the nitrification cotton is further accelerated to accelerate the decomposition, resulting in a large amount of gas, resulting in overpressure explosion of the boiling and washing pot.
Sichuan Si Ai flu technology company Big Bang Explosion (Reaction Explosion)
On May 3, 2024, Sichuan Zigong Xia-Fu Technology Co., Ltd. exploded, killing three (3) people. The accident is directly caused by the leakage of the reaction kettle sealing liquid propylene triol into the reactor, the formation of the reaction substrate, after the steam heating, the reaction substrate, and the subsequent addition of tetrafluoroethylene, causing an explosion.
Shandong Liaocheng Luxi Chemical Petrochemical New Material Technology Co., Ltd.”5.1″ major explosion fire accident
On May 1, 2023, Shandong Liaocheng Luxi Chemical Hydroxy Chemical Petrochemical New Material Technology Co., Ltd. No. 1 peroxide water device exploded and caught fire, killing 10 people. The direct cause of the accident is that the operator pumped a large amount of 70% of the peroxide water on the surface of the working fluid in the finished tank to the working fluid preparation tank, a large amount of 70% of the peroxide was pumped. The original oxygen water in the preparation kettle, the alumina powder contained in the working fluid, palladium catalyst powder, dust and other impurities cause high concentration of hydrogen peroxide to liberate heat, and the heat released further accelerates the decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide, and finally causes a violent decomposition explosion of high concentration of hydrogen peroxide, and a violent condensation explosion of high concentration of hydrogen peroxide and the working fluid system, resulting in the crushing disintegration of the preparation kettle.
Zibo Baoyuan Chemical Company Big Explosion (thermal decomposition)
On May 28, 2011, an explosion occurred at Zibo Baoyuan Chemical Company in Shandong Province, killing three people. The accident is directly caused by the nitromethane workshop distillation process, when the raw material is put into the distillation tank, the low boiling point is not added, and the distillation time is too long, the distillation tank is in a low liquid state, and the inner wall of the tank forms more solid residues, and explodes due to thermal decomposition under continuous heating conditions, causing the gas and residual liquid in the tank to explode and burn.
Jiangyin Songqiao Chemical Plant major fire accident (Hot Work to Stop Leak)
On May 18, 1995, a fire accident occurred during the production of nitrobenzoic acid at the Jiangyin Songqiao Chemical Plant in Jiangsu, killing four (4) people. The accident is directly caused by the leakage of the oxide kettle agitator rotating shaft seal filler. The production deputy director commanded the workers with a wrench to tighten the bolts, but the leakage is more serious, the citrate of the material in the kettle is sprayed from the leak, forming an explosive mixture of air, and the metal impact sparks ignition.
Organic chemical
Jiujiang Jinjiu Renewable Resources Company The Big Poisoning Asphyxiation Accident (carbon monoxide posioning)
On May 23, 2023, a poisoning and asphyxiation accident occurred in the cracking workshop of Jiangxi Jiujiang Jinjiu Renewable Resources Company, killing three people. The direct cause of the accident is that the cracking workshop 4# cracking furnace has been in a relatively closed state since the shutdown on May 13, and the carbon monoxide produced by the cracking has gathered in the furnace. On May 23, an operator illegally entered the operation of the cleavage furnace, carbon monoxide poisoning occurred, and the late shift manager of the cracking workshop and the workshop leader blindly entered the furnace for rescue without taking any safety precautions, and all three died of asphyxiation due to inhalation carbon monoxide poisoning.
Shanxi Yuncheng Sanao Chemical Company explosion (Hot Work Explosion)
On May 31, 2022, an explosion occurred at San’o Chemical Company in Ruicheng County, Yuncheng, Shanxi Province, killing three (3) people. The direct cause of the accident is that there are major defects in the layout of the workshop, and there are underground water pools and pipe trenches in Class A workshops, sparks that are splashed during cutting operations, and the mixture of combustible gases formed by combustible gases and air in the closed underground pool explode.
China National Chemical Corporation Cangzhou DahuaTDI’s Big Explosion (nitrification reaction generates dinitrotoluene and trinitrotoluene (TNT)
On May 11, 2007, the chemical company Cangzhou Dahua TDI workshop nitrification device explosion accident, resulting in 5 deaths, 80 injuries, evacuation and transfer of thousands of people in nearby villages. The direct cause of the accident is that, when the TDI workshop nitrification system is abnormal in the treatment system, excess nitric acid during the repair operation causes a nitrate reaction after injection, and the nitrification reaction generates dinitrotoluene and trinitrotoluene (TNT). The overnitification reaction emits a large amount of heat, resulting in the static separator temperature rise and loss of normal separation, organic and inorganic phase mixing. The mixture flows into a nitro toluene tank and waste acid storage tank and continues to react, and the static separator and storage tank temperature rises rapidly, and the nitride explodes at high temperatures and causes the toluene tank to fire.
Chongqing Longevity Chemical Plant major explosion (Hot Work Explosion)
On May 4, 1987, an explosion occurred in the sewage treatment workshop of Chongqing Longevity Chemical Factory, killing 12 people. The direct cause of the accident was that the enterprise personnel did not go through the approval formalities for the fire operation, and after the deputy manager of the company was asked for oral permission, he began to implement welding operations on the flange of the sewage treatment shunt trough. Welding sparks ignite the flammable materials in the shunt tank, which then causes the explosion of flammable gases such as vinyl acetylene, acetaldehyde and acetylene in the sewage treatment tank.
Inorganic chemical
Shanxi Jincheng Ruixing Chemical Company major poisoning accident (PRCS Accident)
On May 16, 2015, a poisoning accident occurred at Ruixing Chemical Company in Yangcheng County, Jincheng, Shanxi Province, killing eight (8) people. The direct cause of the accident is that when workers are dissipating carbon disulfide, cooling pipeline leakage in the cooling pool, they enter the cooling pool maintenance operation without handling restricted space tickets and not wearing protective equipment, causing poisoning and fainting due to inhalation of carbon disulfide, hydrogen sulfide and other gases, and other personnel blindly rescue, resulting in the expansion of the consequences of the accident.
Shandong Dezhou Petrochemical Plant Big Bang accident (Cl2)
On May 9, 1985, a liquid chlorine cylinder explosion occurred at the petrochemical plant in Shandong Province, killing three people. The direct cause of the accident was that before filling the liquid chlorine, the operator had found that the colorless, transparent, viscous liquid was flowing out of the bottle (after the accident was identified as aromatic hydrocarbons), but it did not attract attention, and then it was mistakenly filled with liquid chlorine. The remaining aromatic hydrocarbons in the bottle undergo a violent chemical reaction with liquid chlorine, resulting in an overpressure explosion of the cylinder.
Medical
Jiangxi Ji’an Huai Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company explosion (Loss of Cooling Water)
On May 8, 2007, an explosion occurred in the shrinkage workshop of Jiangxi Ji’an Ganhui Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company, killing three (3) people. The direct cause of the accident was that due to the operator mistakenly CLOSED the cooling gate valve, resulting in an increase in the temperature of the reactor, resulting in a sudden increase in the temperature of the material in the kettle (phthalene and ethyl ester mixture), the reaction was out of control to produce punching, and the process device did not set up a safety facility for the over-temperature interlocking device and the treatment of the reactor punch, resulting in a large number of flammable and explosive substances after the combustion explosion.
Shandong Heze Keda Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company Big Banglion Accident (Filling vessel too fast)
On May 27, 2005, an explosion occurred at Shandong Hezekoda Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company, killing six (6) people. The direct cause of the accident is that in the process of trial production of pharmaceutical intermediates, when the reactor of the No. 4 reactor of the western workshop is carried out at low temperature, due to the operator’s fast filling and the heat exchange is not timely, the super-temperature in the kettle is caused by the intense chemical reaction of the nitrification in the reactor, and an explosion is generated.
Fertilizer
Shanxi Luliang Weifu Fertilizer Company large explosion accident (heat transfer oil furnace explosion)
On May 18, 2022, Shanxi Luliang ostsu fertilizer company had a heat transfer oil furnace explosion accident, killing three (3) people. The accident is directly caused by the company’s illegal repair of the heat transfer oil furnace burner, pneumatic ball valve selection error, pneumatic actuator can not be closed after the ball valve is opened, in the burner sweeping stage in the furnace chamber air and gas mixed to reach the explosion limit, when the program controller runs to the ignition level caused by the furnace chamber.
Anhui Fuyang Haoyuan Chemical Group Co., Ltd., a large poisoning asphyxiation accident (PRCS)
On May 11, 2022, a poisoning and asphyxiation accident occurred during the slag lock maintenance operation of the gasification workshop of Haoyuan Chemical Group Company in Fuyang, Anhui Province, resulting in 3 deaths. The direct cause of the accident is that the relevant operators did not seriously implement the relevant provisions on the safety management of restricted space operations, and the ventilation in the slag lock was not thorough; the sampling personnel did not sample in accordance with the relevant requirements, and failed to detect the excessive concentration of carbon dioxide gas at the bottom of the slag lock; the operator did not implement the relevant safety measures in the slag lock operation, resulting in asphyxiation death.
Inner Mongolia Hulunbuirkin New Chemical Company major asphyxiation accident (PRCS)
On May 15, 2012, a suffocation accident occurred at the Hulunbuirkin New Chemical Company in Inner Mongolia, killing three (3) people. The accident was directly caused by the five (5) workers in the gas-fired workshop during the slag hole expansion operation in the cooling room of the No. 2 gasifier. One worker suffocated in the restricted space, and the remaining 4 people carried out the rescue without taking effective protective measures, resulting in the expansion of the consequences of the accident, resulting in 3 deaths and 2 injuries.
Pesticides
Shandong Dezhou Pesticide Factory major poisoning accident (H2S)
On May 24, 1994, a hydrogen sulfide poisoning accident occurred at the pesticide factory in Shandong Province, killing three (3) people. The accident was directly caused by the misoperation of the enterprise personnel, which caused the lye to absorb hydrogen sulfide, inverted into the buffer tank, the misoperation opened the bottom valve of the buffer tank again, resulting in the escape of hydrogen sulfide gas, resulting in the poisoning and death of 3 people.
Other
Hebei Cangzhou Lixing Special Rubber Company chlorine gas leak accident (Cl2 Piping Failure)
On May 13, 2017, a chlorine gas leak accident occurred at Lixing Special Rubber Company in Cangzhou, Hebei Province, resulting in 2 deaths and 25 hospitalizations. The direct cause of the accident is that the company illegally installed a electric heating ring on the liquid chlorine pressure pipe, causing the pressure pipe wall to accelerate corrosion and thinning in a high-temperature environment, and it cannot withstand the pressure inside the pipe, and rupture occurs, resulting in a large amount of liquid chlorine leakage.