Two people die and 84 are injured in a factory explosion in China.

According to official media, a massive explosion at a plant in northern China has left two people dead, 84 wounded, and eight people unaccounted for.

The explosion at the Baogang United Steel facility in Inner Mongolia on Sunday at about 15:00 local time (07:00 GMT) caused audible vibrations in the surrounding region.

Online footage showed the ground covered in rubble, including fallen pipes and ceilings, with the explosion sending massive plumes of smoke into the sky.

According to official media, five of the dozens admitted to the hospital had severe injuries. The cause of the explosion is being looked into by the authorities.

One significant state-owned iron and steel company is Baogang United Steel.

China has a lengthy history of industrial mishaps, including mudslides, mine collapses, and factory explosions.

Two enormous explosions at the port of Tianjin in 2015 destroyed most of the city, killed 173 people, and wounded hundreds more.

A chemical factory explosion in the eastern province of Shandong in May of last year left at least 19 people wounded and five dead. The adjoining building's windows were torn off their hinges by the explosion.