At least one person was killed in an explosion on Tuesday morning at a chemical plant located in the conflict-torn Donetsk city in eastern Ukraine, local media reported.

The powerful blast occurred at the repair shop of the Donetsk public factory of chemical products at around 10 a.m. local time (GMT 0800), said DAN news agency, citing the operational command of independence-seeking insurgents.

According to the preliminary data, the explosion was caused by the shelling, the agency said, without disclosing the details on the environmental impact of the blast.

The Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the incident, while Donetsk social media users said the blast was so powerful that it damaged the windows in the nearby buildings.

The Donetsk factory of chemical products, which is controlled by rebels since 2014, produces ammunition, demolition equipment and explosives. The plant is located near a storage site of radioactive waste materials.

source: Xinhua