An explosion at a chemical plant in southwest China left 19 dead and injured another 12, authorities said yesterday, the latest industrial accident in a country where lax regulations often lead to tragedy.

The blast occurred on Thursday at an industrial park in Sichuan province's Yibin city, according to a statement on the website of the local work safety administration. The injured had been taken to hospital and were in stable condition, county officials said, adding that the resulting fire had been put out.