Factory explosion in North China kills 8

An explosion at a biotech factory in northern China has killed eight people, Chinese state media reported, increasing the total number of fatalities by one.



State news agency Xinhua had previously reported that seven people died and one person was missing after the Saturday morning explosion at the Jiapeng biotech company in Shanxi province.



Later, Xinhua said eight were dead, adding that the firm’s legal representative had been taken into custody.



The company is located in Shanyin County, about 400km west of Beijing.



Clean-up operations were ongoing, noting that reporters observed dark yellow smoke emanating from the site of the explosion.



Authorities have established a team to investigate the cause of the blast.