At least one person was killed and four were injured after a blast hit a pharmaceutical plant in Anhui Province Tuesday, the local government said.

An oven in a workshop of the Renji Pharmaceutical Plant Co. Ltd. in Taihe County of Fuyang City exploded at about 5:00 PM, smashing window glasses.

One worker died in hospital after emergency treatment and four suffered injuries, including one serious, said the county government.

The company is based in an economic development zone adjacent to the No. 105 national highway. Police have cordoned off part of the factory area.

The state-owned company, established in 1991, has 180 million yuan (US$26.4 million) in registered total assets and more than 600 employees, according to information on the websites.

(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2009)