Thursday, April 21 2005 22:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Lusaka (Zambia): A blast that ripped through a Chinese-owned explosives manufacturing plant at a copper mine killed at least 51 people and 26 others are missing and feared dead, authorities said today (Apr 21, 2005).

Smoke still hung over the area today, a day after the explosion, as a crowd of weeping and shouting relatives pleaded with police to let them into the blast area to help identify loved ones.

Workers from nearby mines searched through the smouldering rubble for survivors, but found only burned body parts shattered beyond recognition and spread over a wide area by the force of the blast.

Police knew of only nine people who survived the explosion, which destroyed the plant on the outskirts of Kitwe, 400 kilometres north of Lusaka, in the heart of the country's Copper Belt.

Government investigators said it was unclear how many people were working at the plant, owned by BGRIMM Explosives of China. The company said its records showed 72 people were in the plant at the time of the blast. However, Government officials did not have exact records of the number of casual or temporary workers there.

The cause of the blast was not immediately known, although officials at the Mines Safety Department said there were suspicions that safety procedures had been ignored.

A group of grieving relatives tried to attack the homes of Chinese company representatives, but were dispersed by police, said police spokesperson Munganga Chanda.

She said the death toll stood at 51 but was expected to rise because at least 26 people were missing and presumed killed.