(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-11-22 22:37

GUANGZHOU -- Twenty-one workers were injured in an explosion in a sweet factory in Shantou, a coastal city in South China's Guangdong Province, on Wednesday.

Most of the victims from the accident at Guangdong Fuwei Fruitsand Nuts Manufacturing Co Ltd suffered severe burns from being sprayed by boiling syrup, according to doctors.

Others suffered respiratory tract infections after inhaling smoke from the ensuing fire.

The blast occurred at 8:50 am in a workshop on the second floor of the five-story factory building when 34 employees were atwork.

One factory worker who was working on the fifth floor said he heard a loud bang and felt the building shake.

A fire fighter said the flames were extinguished shortly after the explosion and they rescued the last injured worker from the debris at about 9:30 am.

A deputy administrative chief from the privately owned company said one production line had been installed on the second floor and raw materials for making sweets were stored there.

All the injured are now in hospital.

Preliminary investigations suggest the explosion was caused by excess dust inside the second floor workshop.