The explosion happened at 3:20 p.m., in the city of Dangyang located in the central province of Hubei. According to the official Xinhua news agency, a high-pressure steam pipe exploded on the scene.
All the injured were taken to hospital, a rescue team arrived at the place of explosion.
This is not the first industrial accident at Chinese plant, which are criticized for poor safety standards. The number of accidents, including mining disasters and factory fires, has increased proportionately with the country's economic growth.