China's Shenghua Chemical shut PVC plant after an explosion

An explosion took place at a loading area next to the PVC plant operated by Shenghua Chemical Co Ltd mid of last night has forced the company to shut down the unit unexpectedly. The blast injured dozens of people and destroyed many trucks and cars, according to media reports.  

"The shutdown is very much precautionary. There is no direct impact from the incident on our plant," a source close to the producer said. The source did not disclose the restart schedule. 

Based in Zhangjiakou, China, the company has a 200,000 tons/year PVC plant and a 400,000 tons/year caustic soda plant.