BEIJING - An explosion killed at least 65 people and injured more than 120 at factory in China that makes wheels for US carmakers, including General Motors, state media said, as the country suffered its worst industrial accident in a year.
Chinese media said that according to government officials the blast in the booming eastern province of Jiangsu occurred around 7:30 a.m. on Saturday in Kunshan city. An explosion had ripped through a workshop that polishes wheel hubs, according to media reports.
A preliminary investigation suggested that the explosion was caused by negligence after a flame was lighted in a dust-filled room, state news agency Xinhua said, adding that top Communist Party officials from the province were heading to the site.
Chinese state television identified the factory as Zhongrong Plating. Company officials could not be reached for a comment. Its website said it employs 450 workers and counts General Motors and other U.S. companies as clients.
China, the world's second-largest economy, has a poor record on workplace safety. Workers are often poorly trained or ill-equipped to protect themselves from industrial accidents.