A strong explosion occurred at the Youdao Chemical Company plant in Gaomi City, Shandong Province at nearly 12 p.m. on the 27th, not only producing large-scale thick smoke but also causing the explosion to shatter the doors and windows of surrounding residential buildings. According to local official reports, as of 7:25 p.m. that day, the explosion had resulted in 5 deaths, 19 injuries, and 6 individuals were reported missing.
According to CCTV reports, the explosion occurred at approximately 11:57 a.m. on the 27th. After the incident, the Shandong Provincial Party Committee and the Shandong Provincial Government immediately made arrangements, and the provincial, municipal, and county-level governments activated emergency response mechanisms, forming a joint rescue command to carry out rescue efforts. As of the time of reporting, on-site rescue and cleanup work is still ongoing.
According to the on-site footage released by Chinese netizens and descriptions from witnesses, there appeared to be a suspected "mushroom cloud" at the explosion site. The glass of doors and windows in many residential houses in the surrounding villages was shattered, and there was a noticeable shaking of houses during the explosion. After the incident, local authorities urgently evacuated all personnel within at least a 1-kilometer radius of the area.
According to public information, the Youdao Chemical Company, where the explosion occurred, was established in August 2019, and the plant is located in the Renhe Chemical Park in Gaomi City. It has over 300 employees and is engaged in the technical development, production, and sales of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and related chemical products.