Two chemical plant explosions in China killed five workers and injured more than 100 on Wednesday, the local governments confirmed.

All five deaths were reported at Luoran Co. Ltd in Luoyang City of central Henan Province, where a blast went off at 2:00 AM, the emergency rescue headquarters said.

They were among a total of seven people working on night shift, it said. The other two workers are missing.

Following the blast, the factory zone was engulfed in flames that injured more than 100 people and evacuated several hundred others who lived within a radius of 1,000 meters.

The fire had been put out as of 12:00 PM.

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

A similar accident injured eight people at Changshou Chemical Co. Ltd in Changshou District of southwestern Chongqing Municipality at around 9:00 AM on Wednesday, the local government confirmed.

It said six of the victims face life-threatening injuries.

The state-owned company employs more than 4,000 people.

(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2009)