At least seven people were killed in an explosion at a biotech factory in northern China, according to state media reports. The incident occurred on Saturday at the Jiapeng Biotech Company facility in Shanxi province’s Shanyin County, about 400 kilometers west of Beijing. Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday morning that one person remains missing following the blast, citing local authorities. Search and rescue operations are continuing at the site.

The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. Industrial accidents are relatively common in China, often attributed to lax safety standards. In late January, a similar explosion at a steel plant in neighboring Inner Mongolia province killed at least nine people.

Authorities have not yet released further details about the victims or the extent of the damage, and investigations into the cause are ongoing.