"Being alive is more important"

Gong Qiqi (a pseudonym), 33, is a salesperson at the plant. Her office is on the southeast corner of the plant, one of the farthest places from the explosion.

Gong, mother to a four-month-old, suffered minor injuries. Her face is scarred by broken glass and her arms and legs are covered with cuts and bruises.

When asked about compensation, she said, "Being alive is more important than getting compensation."

Devastation in a village nearby

Cai Zhijun lives in a village 600 meters away from the chemical plant. After the blast occurred, the 54-year-old rushed home and found his parents' brick house had collapsed.

His mother happened to step out of the house when it happened, but his father died.

Cai has another building next to his parents' home. The first floor was a small shop, where several shelves were placed against walls in the living room.

His newly-wed son and daughter-in-law lived on the second floor, the stair handrail leading to it still decorated with pink ribbons.

The shelves collapsed and goods were scattered all over the floor.

The stairs are covered in broken glass that cracks underfoot, while shards stick into the plastic ceiling of the upstairs bathroom.