Exploding China’s leading space technology laboratory, engulfing fireballs, kills 2 people and injures 9 others

Pictures on social media showed thick plumes of smoke rising from the school grounds. School officials later confirmed the incident occurred at the College of Materials Science and Technology, adding that the explosion also caused the fire.

After the explosion, there were reports on social media that the casualties were all graduating students. The main cause of the explosion was that the students used water to put out the fire after the aluminum-magnesium alloy caught fire.

There are no further reports of casualties and it is not known exactly which lab was involved in the incident. According to reports, two people died and nine others were seriously injured after the explosion.

Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Space is the cradle of China’s advanced aerospace technologies. The university has five provincial laboratories, specializing in research into materials for nuclear devices, energy conversion, preparation and protection of materials from harsh environments, and electrochemical storage.

Source: SCMP