CHONGQING, April 23(Xinhuanet)-- The death toll in Thursday's chemical workshop explosion in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has risen to 10 and nine people are still missing.

The blast occurred at 10:25 p.m. Thursday at an emulsification workshop of Dongxi Chemical Plant in Qijiang county. It destroyed a three-story factory building and left a cone-shaped ditch about two meters deep in the area.

Ten people were slightly injured in the accident, and local hospital sources said they are recuperating well.

Ten tons of hazardous chemicals have been removed from the factory's warehouse to ensure safety during the rescue operation, and rescuers are cleaning up the debris and explosives left at thesite.

Dongxi Plant has raised 2.5 million yuan(300,000 US dollars) to finance medical costs of the injured workers and to compensate the victims' families. A local insurance company has paid 500,000(60,000 US dollars) yuan in advance payment.

Agreements have been reached regarding the compensation for thethree victims whose bodies have been identified. Enditem