Jan 20, Kathmandu - The death toll from a factory explosion in northern China has risen to nine. One person is still missing, Xinhua news agency reported, citing local rescuers.

Initial reports suggested the blast at the Baogang United Steel factory in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was caused by a 650-cubic-meter water and steam tank. Xinhua said 84 people injured in the previous explosion had been taken to hospital for treatment.

Footage on social media showed the factory roof and debris, smoke billowing from the sky and fire engines at the scene. Other videos showed smoke billowing from the factory and a large, cylindrical metal object that appeared to be from the rubble of buildings exploding into the sky. Local residents said the blast shook their homes and shattered windows.

In June, a factory explosion in central China's Hunan province also killed nine people and injured 26. In 2015, an explosion at a warehouse containing flammable chemicals in the port city of Tianjin killed more than 170 people and injured 700.