A view of the destroyed building after an explosion at a chemical plant in Lamadian Town of Daqing City of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, April 14, 2011.[Photo/Xinhua]

A view of the destroyed building after an explosion at a chemical plant in Lamadian Town of Daqing City of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, April 14, 2011.[Photo/Xinhua]

DAQING CITY, Heilongjiang - At least nine people were killed in an explosion at a chemical plant in Lamadian Town of Daqing City of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province Wednesday night, local officials said early Thursday morning.

The explosion and fire occurred at about 10:10 pm Wednesday at a three-storey building at Fuxing Chemical Plant located in Lamadian Town of Ranghulu District in Daqing.

Fourteen people were inside the building when the accident happened, local government said.

Nine people died on the scene while the other five people fled the building.

The fire has been extinguished by firefighters by press time, but the air near the plant was full of the burnt smell, according to Xinhua's on-the-spot reporter.

Cause of the explosion remained unknown, as investigation and search efforts are still underway.