South China plant blast kills 17, injures 33

Photo taken on Dec 31, 2014 shows the accident site after a gas blast rocked a plant of the Fuwa Engineering Manufacturing Co. Ltd. in the Shunde District of the industrial city of Foshan, south China's Guangdong province. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

Seventeen people were killed and 33 others were injured after a gas blast rocked a plant in south China's Guangdong province on Wednesday morning, local authorities said.

The blast occurred at about 9:30 am at the Fuwa Engineering Manufacturing Co. Ltd. in the Shunde District of the industrial city of Foshan, the district government said in a statement.

Among the injured, 16 sustained serious injuries and three remain in life-threatening condition, it said.

The blast occurred when the factory was closed for cleaning. Local authorities are looking into the cause of the incident.

Guangdong Province is one of China's largest manufacturing bases.