Workers injured in an industrial accident outside Shanghai say...

Workers injured in an industrial accident outside Shanghai say the chemical plant owned by Perth-based miner Galaxy Resources had encountered operating problems, including a three-hour power failure, the previous day.

They said there had been other power outages in the weeks leading up to the rupture of a fibreglass pipe, which flooded an area at the plant with hot sodium sulphate solution, killing one person and badly burning 10 others on November 22.

“I don’t know why the company didn’t fix this power problem earlier,” said Guo Jiangxing, who is wrapped in bandages from the neck down and will be in hospital for at least a month.

Wang Zhimin, who is sharing a room with Mr Guo and suffered burns to his hands and legs, said the power outages had happened “a few times” in the five months since the plant began operating in July.

The mechanic said when there were sudden power failures, the pump stopped working, which caused blockages, similar to the one that ruptured the pipe.