Fire at Sinopec Shanghai Petchem Plant Kills One

This aerial photo taken on June 18, 2022 shows a large fire at a Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical plant in outlying Jinshan district of Shanghai. (AFP)
This aerial photo taken on June 18, 2022 shows a large fire at a Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical plant in outlying Jinshan district of Shanghai. (AFP)
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Fire at Sinopec Shanghai Petchem Plant Kills One

This aerial photo taken on June 18, 2022 shows a large fire at a Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical plant in outlying Jinshan district of Shanghai. (AFP)
This aerial photo taken on June 18, 2022 shows a large fire at a Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical plant in outlying Jinshan district of Shanghai. (AFP)

A fire broke out at a Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co Ltd plant in Shanghai early on Saturday, killing one person, the company said.

Roaring fire was seen engulfing part of a sprawling factory, emitting columns of thick black smoke, in a video posted on Twitter by the state-backed Shanghai Daily.

The fire at one of China's biggest refining and petrochemicals plants started around 4 a.m. (2000 GMT on Friday) and had been brought under control by 9 a.m. but "was difficult to handle", state media Xinhua reported, citing fire officials.

It was expected to continue burning for some time.

The driver of a third-party transport vehicle died and a company employee suffered a minor injury, said a Sinopec representative.

He said the fire affected the ethylene glycol facility at the plant in Jinshan, a southwestern suburb of China's financial capital.

State-owned Sinopec said on its official Weibo account it was monitoring volatile organic compounds and impact to rainwater outlets, and no impact on the surrounding water environment had been found.

Sinopec Shanghai has processing capacity for 16 million tons of crude oil a year and 700,000 tons of ethylene, according to its website.

It is building a 3.5 billion yuan ($520 million) carbon fiber project as it seeks to diversify away from refining, and focus on resin and fibers.



Pakistan Warns it May Expel Thousands of Afghans Hoping for Resettlement in the West

Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025.  EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM
Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025. EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM
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Pakistan Warns it May Expel Thousands of Afghans Hoping for Resettlement in the West

Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025.  EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM
Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025. EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM

Pakistan said Thursday that thousands of Afghan migrants who have applied for resettlement in third countries could face forced expulsion if they are not relocated by host nations before the end of April.
Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry did not mention specific host countries, but his announcement follows the suspension of US refugee admissions programs that has left over 25,000 Afghan nationals facing uncertainty. Some of the Afghans also are trying to resettle in other Western countries, including the UK, The Associated Press reported.
Chaudhry said an April 30 deadline for resettlement of applicants has been communicated to potential host countries. He also said that any foreigners in the country illegally would be deported immediately, and that those who have obtained UN refugee status would be allowed to stay at least through June.
Many Afghans fled their country after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, fearing reprisals. Some had worked with the US military, international organizations, aid agencies, media outlets or human rights groups.
Thousands already have been relocated to the United States, with those who worked for the US military given a priority by the US government. Thousands more have been living in Pakistan while seeking relocation to the United States or other Western countries.
Chaudhry said thousands of Afghans have been sent back over the past week as part of expulsions that began in October 2023, when Pakistan launched a crackdown on foreigners living illegally in Pakistan. Since then, more than 850,000 Afghans had been repatriated.
He said an estimated 800,000 additional Afghan migrants are in the country illegally, and that 1.4 million are in Pakistan with UN refugee status.
Spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told a news conference that the expulsions were not targeted specifically at Afghans and that any foreigners in the country illegally were being deported.
He also said Pakistan was engaged with UN agencies for the protection of people in vulnerable situations. “There is hardly any example of a country which has been more generous to refugees than Pakistan,” he said.