Johannesburg – All the people, who were missing after an explosion in Middelburg, Eastern Cape, have been accounted for, police said on Monday.

“A manager of the company [Rolfe pharmaceutical laboratories] tells me that all people who were missing were accounted for,” police spokesperson Stefanie Smith said.

An arson investigation would continue.

“We will send out a canine unit to sniff out the building tomorrow [Tuesday] as we had to wait for the building to be stabilised first,” Smith said.

Earlier in the day, an explosion sparked a fire, which resulted in the evacuation of the building.

Thirty-five people sustained burn wounds in the incident and were taken to the Wilhelm Stahl Hospital for treatment.

The blast also damaged a part of the building.

The estimated damage has not yet been determined.

– SAPA