BEIJING: An explosion at a chemical plant in eastern China on Tuesday killed at least five people, with six more still missing, state media said.

The blast occurred at the Youdao Chemical plant at around 12 pm in Gaomi, a town in Shandong province around 450 kilometres southeast of the capital Beijing, according to Xinhua news agency.

Videos broadcast by the Beijing newspaper Xinfingbao showed a gigantic column of grey smoke rising into the sky, a fire in an industrial zone and shop windows apparently blown out by the explosion. The disaster `left five peopledead, six missing and 19 lightly injured`, Xinhua said citing local officials.

Clips also showed debris strewn across a road, a car with a smashed windscreen, and dark orange flames devouring installations in the background.

Emergency services dispatched 55 vehicles and 232 hrst responders to the scene, the national Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement.

Youdao Chemical manufactures `low-toxicity` pesticides and employs around 300 people on a site of 47 hectares (116 acres), according to the Chinese online media The Paper.-AF P