On the first day of the 4th Plenary Session of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on October 20th, a fire broke out at the factory of Jiangsu Chengxing Phosphorus Chemical Co., Ltd. located at No. 618 Meiyuan Avenue, Jiangyin, Wuxi. The scene was filled with thick smoke and flames shooting up into the sky, engulfing the streets in smoke, with a pungent smell hanging in the air. The fire was caused by spontaneous combustion due to the leakage of yellow phosphorus from a tank truck. Chengxing Phosphorus Chemical Co., Ltd., commonly known as Chengxing, is a leading enterprise in China’s phosphorus chemical industry.
Video footage showed flames erupting in the distance, accompanied by a large amount of smoke spreading rapidly. Shortly afterward, the air in the nearby urban area was also filled with thick smoke.
An experienced professional in the chemical industry informed “Observer Net” that in the event of a phosphorus explosion, both the combustion and decomposition products contain various irritating, corrosive, and highly toxic gases, such as phosphorus pentoxide, phosphine, phosphorus trioxide, and possibly hydrogen fluoride, posing an acute health threat to personnel at the scene and surrounding residents, necessitating chemical disaster response measures.
The Chengjiang Street Office of Jiangyin City, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province reported that at around 11:57 a.m. on October 20th, a tank truck carrying yellow phosphorus at the factory located at No. 618 Meiyuan Avenue in Jiangyin City leaked a small amount of yellow phosphorus and spontaneously ignited. By 12:48 p.m., the open flames at the scene were extinguished, with a fire area of 8 square meters and no casualties. Currently, the situation has returned to normal, and the yellow phosphorus in the tank has been safely controlled. Surrounding environmental and water quality tests have shown no abnormalities. The specific cause of the accident is under investigation.
According to reports from “Caijing Network,” individuals affiliated with Chengxing Phosphorus Chemical Co., Ltd. stated that due to the factory area where the accident occurred being involved in relocation plans, the production at the site was already scheduled to cease. Therefore, the accident is not expected to have a significant impact on the company’s production.
Chengxing Phosphorus Chemical Co., Ltd. primarily produces a range of fine phosphorus chemical products, including yellow phosphorus, phosphoric acid, and phosphates. The company owns phosphorus ore resources in Yunnan’s Yiliang and Huize regions to meet its production needs. According to financial reports, in 2024, yellow phosphorus and phosphoric acid were the mainstays of Chengxing Phosphorus Chemical Co., Ltd.’s performance.