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The Xinhua News Agency has released an image showing smoke billowing from a factory explosion site in Baotou, located within China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The incident occurred on Sunday, January 18, 2026. (Image courtesy of Xinhua via AP)
BEIJING – Authorities in China have apprehended the managerial staff of a steel plant in Inner Mongolia following a catastrophic explosion. The incident resulted in two fatalities and sent 84 individuals to the hospital, while eight people remain missing.
According to city officials in Baotou, the explosion was triggered by a pressurized storage tank that was meant to contain steam and high-temperature water. This was confirmed during a briefing on Monday.
The explosion rocked the Baogang United Steel facility in Baotou at approximately 3 p.m. local time on Sunday, sending shockwaves through nearby communities. Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams actively searching for the eight missing individuals, as informed by a Baotou city Information Office representative at a Monday morning news conference.
The blast occurred at a Baogang United Steel plant in the city of Baotou around 3 p.m. local time Sunday and caused tremors in the surrounding areas. A rescue team was searching for the eight people who are missing, said a representative of the Baotou city’s Information Office at a news conference on Monday morning.
Baogang United Steel is a major state-owned company, according to state media.
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