Rescuers disposing chemicals at storm-hit plant in East China

NANJING - Rescuers are racing against the clock to safely dispose of chemicals stored at a solar panel factory, which was destroyed during a severe storm in East China's Jiangsu province.

Heavy rain, hailstorms and a tornado battered parts of Yancheng city on Thursday, leaving 98 people dead and 846 injured. The storm also destroyed the 40,000-square-meter solar panel factory, which is partly owned by GCL System Integration Technology Co Ltd.

The disposal of the hazardous chemicals, including ammonium gas and silane, is due to be finished Saturday, according to Zhou Xiang, head of Jiangsu fire corps and director of the rescue headquarters.

A total of 470 people were working in the factory when the storm hit. Two cooks were killed and over 70 factory floor employees were injured.

Zhou said that the quantity of the chemicals was not large and all chemicals were stored in bottles or cans. "Currently there is no danger of diffusion," he said.