Five people are missing and six others have been injured by an explosion at a chemical plant in Lanzhou, the capital of Northwest China's Gansu Province.

 

At a press conference held on Thursday evening, provincial officials say firefighters were still battling the flames caused by the explosion, and it would take some time to put out the fire. Local environmental workers are taking measures to prevent the explosion from polluting the air and underground water.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.