SHANGHAI, April 24 — Three people were killed in an explosion at a privately-owned chemical plant in China’s Inner Mongolia region, the official Xinhua News Agency reported today.

The blast happened in the early hours of the morning at Inner Mongolia Dongxing Chemicals, a company that produces a range of products from sodium hydroxide to PVC, a lightweight plastic.

The accident follows two deadly blasts in eastern Jiangsu province in March that killed 85 people, leading to increased scrutiny on how China monitors its sprawling chemicals industry.

Market regulators said earlier this month they would launch a nationwide inspection into the safety of industrial products like food packaging and hazardous chemicals in an effort to allay public concerns. — Reuters