Tank collapse in Chinese mill kills 9 people, injures 4 more

BEIJING – Authorities in eastern China say nine people were killed in the collapse of a waste water tank in a dyeing and printing mill.

The collapse of the 15-meter (50-foot) tank toppled shelves in the workshop in the city of Haining in Zhejiang province, a centre of China’s vast petrochemicals industry.

The local government said another four people were seriously injured in the collapse Tuesday afternoon. The site would be cleaned up and the collapse investigated.

The mill’s website said it was founded in 1983 and employs 500 people.

Similar accidents in recent months have killed scores of Chinese, despite a push to boost safety and crack down on the corruption that facilitates it.

In the neighbouring province of Jiangsu, a massive chemical blast in March left nearly 80 people dead.