At least six dead in Czech chemical plant blast

An official says an explosion in a chemical factory in the Czech Republic has killed six people.

A firefighter walks at the site of an explosion in a chemical plant in Kralupy-nad-Vltavou, Czech Republic.

A firefighter walks at the site of an explosion in a chemical plant in Kralupy-nad-Vltavou, Czech Republic. Source: AAP

At least six people died and several others were seriously injured in an explosion Thursday at a Czech chemical plant in the northern town of Kralupy-nad-Vltavou, fire fighters said.

"We have received information about six dead and several others seriously injured," regional fire fighter spokeswoman Vladimira Kerekova said, quoted by the CTK news agency.

The Prague-Vinohrady hospital has triggered its emergency plan and is getting ready to receive a "significant number" of patients, she added.

Emergency services spokeswoman Petra Effenbergerova said six people were injured.

Kerekova said the factory belongs to the Polish firm Synthos, which manufactures synthetic rubber and polystyrene.

Two people were injured in an explosion at the same factory in 2015.

"We have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances and causes," police spokeswoman Marketa Johnova said.

She said police had learnt of the explosion at 10 am local time.

Additional reporting: AAP


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Source: AFP, SBS



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