State media says explosion at factory in eastern China injures at least 100 people

Chinese factory blast injures about 100

BEIJING — An explosion at a plastics factory in eastern China injured at least 100 people Wednesday morning, state media reported.

The explosion, suspected to be caused by a gas leak, happened about 10 a.m. in downtown Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province in eastern China, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The powerful blast, which caused nearby buildings to shake, injured bystanders and passengers in a nearby bus, Xinhua said.

No other details were immediately available.

Accidents are common in Chinese factories, with fires, explosions and other problems killing thousands of people each year.