AN explosion at a petrochemical plant in suburban Beijing killed three people and injured 64, the local Foreign Affairs office said yesterday.
Twelve of those injured in the Friday night blast were in serious condition, an official said.
Huge flames and a thick column of smoke thousands of feet high were still rising from the plant 12 hours after explosions rocked the county of Tongxian, 20 kilometres east of Beijing.
The blast that rocked the Dongfang Chemical Factory sent shards of metal cascading across nearby streets and shattered windows up to a kilometre away.
Police had cordoned off the road leading to the plant where firemen were still trying to dampen the flames yesterday.
The official said the fire had been brought under control and senior Beijing municipal officials were at the scene.
He said a fire in the petrol storage area had sparked the blast, although its cause was still being investigated.