More than 10,000 people were evacuated to safe places on Sunday after explosions at a chemical plant in Jilin City of northeast China's Jilin Province.

A witness said that a series of blasts took place at a workshop in No. 101 Chemical Plant under the Jilin Petroleum and Chemical Company from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Sunday. The blasts shattered window glasses of buildings 100 to 200 meters away from the plant.

More than 10,000 residents have evacuated for fear of further explosions and pollution by chemical matters, according to sources reached to Xinhua over the phone.

The site of the accident was closed off and the accurate casualties were not available at press time. Witnesses said that dozens were hospitalized.

(Xinhua News Agency November 13, 2005)