One out of the nine workers injured in a chemical plant explosion last week in central China's Henan Province died on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to eight.

A spokesman for Yanshi city government said Thursday the other eight injured were stable in hospital.

The blast happened at Luoran Co., Ltd. in Yanshi city at 2:00 AM on July 15 while 17 people were working the night shift. The bodies of seven workers were recovered that day. One worker escaped unhurt.

A total of 108 people living near the factory were injured by flying glass, and 49 were still in hospital, the spokesman said.

A fire in a warehouse caused the explosion of about 10 tonnes of chlorobenzene, a flammable intermediate for making other chemicals.

Tests showed that the explosion caused no pollution to local rivers and groundwater, according to local environmental protection authorities.

Luoran Co., Ltd., which employs 180 people, produces chemicals for the dye industry. Its products are also exported to Japan, Britain and southeast Asian countries.

(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2009)