On the 2nd, the website of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Emergency Management Department published an investigation report on the major container explosion accident at Baogang Plate Factory in Inner Mongolia. The accident occurred on January 18, 2026, killing 10 people and injuring 84 others. After investigation, it was determined that the accident was a major production safety liability accident, and 62 relevant personnel were held to account. At about 15:01 on January 18, an explosion occurred at Baogang plate factory in Inner Mongolia, Kundulun District, Baotou City. Investigations determined that the direct cause of the explosion was that the No. 1 ball tank was subject to medium corrosion, local stress, and alternating load for a long time during operation. The inner wall of the ball tank experienced irreversible “alkali stress corrosion cracking+corrosion fatigue” complex damage. The damage continued to accumulate until it penetrated the wall thickness, and saturated water leaked on the north side of the lower ring weld. Since then, no effective on-site disposal measures have been taken. After about 1.5 hours, the pressure exceeded the ultimate carrying capacity of the defective container. The weld near the leak quickly ripped in the ring direction, and the ball tank quickly disintegrated, causing a large amount of saturated water in the tank to instantly flash and explode. After the accident occurred, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Party Committee and Government made quick arrangements and made every effort to organize the search and rescue. The Ministry of Emergency Management and the State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration sent personnel to the scene to guide the rescue and disposal work. More than 1,300 people and 70 emergency and ambulance vehicles were invested in on-site rescue, making every effort to carry out on-site search and rescue work. The report indicates the main problems faced by Baogang Plate Factory, Inner Mongolia Baogang Steel Union Co., Ltd., Baotou Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., the relevant units of the accident, Beijing Jingcheng Kelin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Anshan Huaxin Heavy Industry Machinery Co., Ltd., Baotou Branch of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Special Equipment Inspection and Research Institute, as well as the supervisory authorities and local party committees and governments. According to the report, the Kundulun District Procuratorate of Baotou City has approved the arrest of 7 members of the board factory on suspicion of committing a crime. At the same time, it is recommended that the six personnel involved in the accident be handed over to the judicial authorities for investigation; Baogang Group, its enterprises, accident related units, Baotou City and Kundulun District Party Committee, government, market supervision administration, emergency management bureau, autonomous region market supervision administration, emergency management department, and state-owned assets commission personnel should be given corresponding administrative penalties, Party discipline and administrative sanctions, and organizational treatment. According to the report, administrative penalties were imposed on four organizations, including Baogang Steel Union, Jingcheng Colin, Anshan Huaxin, and Baotou Special Inspection Institute; the Kundulun District Party Committee and Government made separate written inspections to the Baotou Municipal Party Committee and Government; and the Baotou Municipal Party Committee, Government, and Baogang Group made separate written inspections to the Party Committee and Government of the autonomous region.

On the 2nd, the website of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Emergency Management Department published an investigation report on the major container explosion accident at Baogang Plate Factory in Inner Mongolia. The accident occurred on January 18, 2026, killing 10 people and injuring 84 others. After investigation, it was determined that the accident was a major production safety liability accident, and 62 relevant personnel were held to account. At about 15:01 on January 18, an explosion occurred at Baogang plate factory in Inner Mongolia, Kundulun District, Baotou City. Investigations determined that the direct cause of the explosion was that the No. 1 ball tank was subject to medium corrosion, local stress, and alternating load for a long time during operation. The inner wall of the ball tank experienced irreversible “alkali stress corrosion cracking+corrosion fatigue” complex damage. The damage continued to accumulate until it penetrated the wall thickness, and saturated water leaked on the north side of the lower ring weld. Since then, no effective on-site disposal measures have been taken. After about 1.5 hours, the pressure exceeded the ultimate carrying capacity of the defective container. The weld near the leak quickly ripped in the ring direction, and the ball tank quickly disintegrated, causing a large amount of saturated water in the tank to instantly flash and explode. After the accident occurred, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Party Committee and Government made quick arrangements and made every effort to organize the search and rescue. The Ministry of Emergency Management and the State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration sent personnel to the scene to guide the rescue and disposal work. More than 1,300 people and 70 emergency and ambulance vehicles were invested in on-site rescue, making every effort to carry out on-site search and rescue work. The report indicates the main problems faced by Baogang Plate Factory, Inner Mongolia Baogang Steel Union Co., Ltd., Baotou Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., the relevant units of the accident, Beijing Jingcheng Kelin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Anshan Huaxin Heavy Industry Machinery Co., Ltd., Baotou Branch of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Special Equipment Inspection and Research Institute, as well as the supervisory authorities and local party committees and governments. According to the report, the Kundulun District Procuratorate of Baotou City has approved the arrest of 7 members of the board factory on suspicion of committing a crime. At the same time, it is recommended that the six personnel involved in the accident be handed over to the judicial authorities for investigation; Baogang Group, its enterprises, accident related units, Baotou City and Kundulun District Party Committee, government, market supervision administration, emergency management bureau, autonomous region market supervision administration, emergency management department, and state-owned assets commission personnel should be given corresponding administrative penalties, Party discipline and administrative sanctions, and organizational treatment. According to the report, administrative penalties were imposed on four organizations, including Baogang Steel Union, Jingcheng Colin, Anshan Huaxin, and Baotou Special Inspection Institute; the Kundulun District Party Committee and Government made separate written inspections to the Baotou Municipal Party Committee and Government; and the Baotou Municipal Party Committee, Government, and Baogang Group made separate written inspections to the Party Committee and Government of the autonomous region.