Chinese steel factory officials detained after explosion that leaves 4 dead, 6 missing
Posted Jan 18, 2026 10:42:45 PM.
Last Updated Jan 19, 2026 09:31:04 AM.
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese police have detained those in charge of a steel factory in the Inner Mongolia region after an explosion killed four people and left 84 others hospitalized, state media said.
The death toll rose to four during the day Monday as rescuers searched for the missing. State broadcaster CCTV said six more people remained unaccounted-for.
The 3 p.m. blast at a Baogang United Steel plant in the city of Baotou on Sunday caused tremors in the surrounding area and sent a massive cloud of white smoke skyward.
A pressurized storage tank designed to hold steam and high-temperature water exploded, city officials said. Baogang United Steel is a major state-owned company.
The Associated Press
