Nanjing Chemical Industry Park was the scene yesterday evening for a massive explosion and subsequent fire at a petrochemical plant that produces rubber products, mostly for vehicular tires. There were no casualties reported after the accident.
The explosion occurred at 17:06 yesterday, 12 January, at Yangzi Petrochemical Rubber Co., Ltd., located in the Park that lies on the north banks of the Yangtze River in Nanjing.
Yangzi Rubber implemented immediate emergency plans when its Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) plant exploded and caught fire.
Responding to the accident, Nanjing Fire Command Centre mobilised the local brigade to the scene, who were able to have the fire completely extinguished at 19:46, reports Jiangsu Sina.
In addition, environmental protection authorities undertook a subsequent inspection of the accident scene and determined that it did not cause pollution of the surrounding environment.
That the explosion took place in the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park is perhaps a blessing in disguise. The lack of casualties and minimal threat to the general public can also be attributed to a governmental policy requiring all enterprises that store and use hazardous chemicals be located in a chemical industry park.
SBR is employed in a variety of uses, most commonly in tires for automobiles and Heavy Goods Vehicles. The material is a abrasion-resistant alternative to natural rubber.
It is estimated that SBR can be found in as many as half of the world’s vehicles.
Elsewhere, SBR is also used in some rubber cutting boards and in loudspeakers, where is makes for an excellent damping material, helping to reduce peripheral vibration.
Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, engaged in the refining of crude oil, and the production and marketing of hydrocarbon derivatives. Its products include poly olefin plastics, polyester feedstock, basic organic chemical raw materials, product oils and synthetic rubbers.
