Death toll rises to 78 in China chemical plant explosion

XIANGSHUI, Jiangsu, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from an explosion in a chemical plant in east China's Jiangsu Province has risen to 78 as of Monday afternoon, as another 14 bodies of victims were found.

Among the dead, 56 people have been identified, Cao Lubao, mayor of Yancheng city, said at a press conference Monday afternoon.

The explosion happened at about 2:48 p.m. Thursday following a fire that broke out in a plant owned by Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical Co. Ltd., in a chemical industrial park in Xiangshui County in Yancheng.