Investigation Report on the Explosion Accident at Baogang Steel Plate Plant Released

On the 2nd, the website of the Emergency Management Department of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region released the investigation report on the major container explosion accident at Baotou Steel Plate Factory. The accident occurred on January 18, 2026, resulting in 10 fatalities and 84 injuries. The investigation concluded that this was a major production safety responsibility accident, holding 62 individuals accountable. At around 15:01 on January 18, an explosion occurred at the Inner Mongolia Baosteel Plate Factory in the Kundulun District of Baotou City. The investigation found that the direct cause of the explosion was the long-term corrosion of the medium on the No. 1 spherical tank during operation, coupled with local stress and alternating loads, leading to an irreversible "alkali stress corrosion cracking + corrosion fatigue" composite damage on the inner wall of the tank. The damage continued to accumulate until it penetrated the wall thickness, resulting in a saturated water leak at the northern side of the lower circumferential weld. Subsequently, no effective on-site handling measures were taken, and about 1.5 hours later, the pressure exceeded the limit load capacity of the defective container, causing a rapid circumferential tear along the weld near the leak, and the tank disintegrated quickly, triggering a massive flash vaporization and explosion of the saturated water inside the tank. After the incident, the Party Committee and government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region responded quickly, fully organizing search and rescue efforts. The Ministry of Emergency Management and the State Administration for Market Regulation dispatched personnel to the scene to guide rescue operations. A total of over 1,300 rescuers and more than 70 emergency and ambulance vehicles were deployed to carry out on-site search and rescue operations. The report identified major issues related to the accident involving Baosteel Plate Factory, Inner Mongolia Baosteel Steel Union Co., Ltd., and Baotou Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., as well as relevant units including Beijing Jingcheng Kelin Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., Anshan Huaxin Heavy Industry Machinery Co., Ltd., and the Baotou branch of the Inner Mongolia Special Equipment Inspection and Research Institute, along with regulatory departments and local Party committees and governments. The report noted that due to suspected criminal activity, the procuratorate of the Kundulun District of Baotou City has approved the arrest of 7 personnel from the plate factory. It also recommended transferring 6 related personnel to judicial authorities for investigation; appropriate administrative penalties, Party disciplinary actions, and organizational measures should be imposed on the Baosteel Group and its affiliated enterprises, related units, and the Party committees and governments at both the Baotou City and Kundulun District levels, as well as relevant personnel from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region's Market Supervision Administration, Emergency Management Department, and State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. The report stated that administrative penalties would be imposed on the four units including Baosteel Steel Union, Jingcheng Kelin, Anshan Huaxin, and Baotou Special Inspection Institute; the Party Committee and government of Kundulun District would each submit a written examination to the Party Committee and government of Baotou City; and the Party Committee and government of Baotou City and Baosteel Group would each submit a written examination to the Party Committee and government of the Autonomous Region.