Residents fear for safety after blast at China chemical plant

Black smoke hung over a chemical plant in eastern China on May 28, a day after a massive blast killed at least five people, flattened buildings and fueled safety fears among residents living close to the factory.

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GAOMI, China - Black smoke hung over a chemical plant in eastern China on May 28, a day after a massive blast killed at least five people, flattened buildings and fueled safety fears among residents living close to the factory.

Six people are still missing after the explosion at the plant in Gaomi, a city in the eastern province of Shandong, the official Xinhua news agency said. Another 19 people were injured.

With the nearby streets largely deserted, residents surveyed the damage to their homes and fretted about the health risks of living next to the plant.

"Ideally this chemical factory shouldn't be so close to here... it's too near, isn't it? Especially at night when it's operating, the smell from the factory is really strong," farmer Yu Qianming told Reuters.