A fire broke out at a chemical plant in Kunming, the administrative center of Yunnan Province, China, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,200 people. The blaze was accompanied by the release of irritating fumes into the atmosphere, according to infohub.kz.
The incident occurred on August 4 at the Yunnan Haoming Fine Phosphorus Chemical Company in Jinning District. Local authorities said the fire started at around 11:50 local time during the loading of yellow phosphorus. All 1,257 people in the affected area were evacuated. No casualties or injuries have been reported.
The fire was fully extinguished by approximately 22:00 the same day. An official statement noted that "the accident caused yellow phosphorus to catch fire, and the smoke and dust generated by the combustion led to a temporary deterioration of air quality in the surrounding areas." Authorities warned that inhaling such fumes and smoke could cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and respiratory tract.
Following the incident, the company suspended its production and business activities. "The company has suspended production and business operations. Authorities are continuing environmental monitoring and assessment. The cause of the fire is under investigation," local authorities said.