A chemical factory in Qijiang, southwest China's Chongqing exploded after being hit by lightning Thursday night, destroying its three-storey workshop and leaving 19 workers missing and 10 injured, a local report said.

A thunder rainstorm happened in Qijiang, on the outskirts of Chongqing, a major industrial city. A lightning stroke the emulsification workshop and the whole factory building exploded and collapsed consequently.

Debris and pieces of equipment were found hundreds of meters away, according to a China News Service report.

Environmental monitoring found no toxic gas in the air and the possibility of a second explosion is very small.

Local authorities and relative experts have rushed to the accident site, directing the rescue and searching operation. Measures have already taken to get rid of the explosive product.

And the cause of the explosion is under investigation.

The factory, established in 1956, is an explosive producer. It employs more than 200 workers and emulsified explosive is its newly developed product.

Source: chinadaily