Two workers were killed and four injured in an explosion in an aluminum plant early Sunday morning in Ningbo City of east China's Zhejiang Province, local government sources confirmed.

The accident took place at 3:40 AM Sunday at a plant belonging to the Ningbo Xinxing Aluminum Industry Company, located about 40 kilometers from Ningbo proper.

A mold exploded as two workers were injecting liquid aluminum into it. Both died at the hospital.

Four others who were nearby were injured slightly.

Local people said that the plant has been operating for more than 20 years and reported no such accidents in the past.

Local police and safety production supervision offices are jointly investigating the cause of the accident.

(Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2004)