A fire and explosion caused by chemical leakage at a chemical plant in Ningbo City, east China's Zhejiang Province occurred at 8:00 a.m. Thursday morning.

By 10:20, fire fighting is underway and the number of people injured or killed in the accident is still unidentified.

All workmen in the workshops have been evacuated, but some journey workers were still possibly working in the plant when the accident took place, said a director of the plant.

Cause for the accident is under investigation.

(Xinhau News Agency April 22, 2004)