More than a dozen people have been killed and many more injured after a series of explosions rocked a chemical plant in southwestern China.

Toxic gas leaks resulting from the blasts also forced thousands living around the factory in Yizhou city in Guangxi province to be evacuated.

China's official Xinhua news agency put the death toll at 14, with six people still missing in the blasts that occurred early on Tuesday and continued for several hours.

An official from the local communist party's propaganda department was quoted as saying that 60 people had been injured and 20 more were reported missing.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said some chemicals were still burning by Wednesday morning, and rescuers were waiting for them to be put out before looking for the missing people.

Dangerous rescue

"With explosions continuing and a fire raging, it is quite treacherous for rescuers, since there are huge hidden dangers amid the blasts, along with leaks of toxic gases such as ammonia and formaldehyde," Ma Dewen, the firefighter in charge of the rescue efforts, was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

The plant is in a development zone on the outskirts of Yizhou city and mainly produces chemicals for adhesives and paints, the agency said.

Regional work safety authorities were investigating the cause of the blasts.

Workplace accidents are common in China, with thousands of people killed every year.

Explosions and other industrial accidents are usually blamed on insufficient safety equipment and workers ignoring safety rules.

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