Picture taken on January 7, 2010 shows fire engines arriving at a factory in which an explosion occured in Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province. The explosion broke out in the factory at about 5:30 PM. [Xinhua]

Picture taken on January 7, 2010 shows smoke and fire billowing from a factory in which an explosion occured in Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province. The explosion broke out in the factory at about 5:30 PM. [Xinhua]

Two people were confirmed dead Thursday after a chemical plant exploded in northwest China's Gansu Province, said local officials.

The blast happened at around 5:30 PM at a chemical plant in the provincial capital of Lanzhou, which was operated by the Lanzhou Chemical Company of the China National Petroleum Corporation, the country's largest oil and gas producer, the officials said.

The site was 30 kilometers away from downtown, and 500 meters away from the nearest residential quarter, which was not affected, they said.

The precise casualties, property losses were not yet known. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2010)