Update: Death toll rises to 9 after steel plant blast in China's Inner Mongolia

HOHHOT, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The death toll has risen to nine following a blast at a steel plant in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with one other person still unaccounted for as rescue efforts continue, local authorities said Tuesday.

The explosion took place at 3:03 p.m. Sunday at a plate plant of Baogang United Steel in Baotou City, according to the on-site emergency rescue headquarters. Previous reports show that the blast originated from a 650-cubic-meter saturated water and steam spherical tank.

Verification of the missing person is ongoing. ■