Purple smoke rose from a factory's chimney, sparking health fears among residents in central China.

Video filmed in Zhumadian City in Henan Province on February 14, shows a chimney of a fertiliser factory emitting large volumes of purple smoke.

The residents, wary of the potential dangers such an unusual sight might indicate, voiced their suspicions that the gas being released was potassium iodide, a substance known for its toxicity.

Amidst the growing clamour for answers and accountability, the fertiliser factory's personnel stepped forward to address the community's concerns.

They explained that the peculiar purple smoke was the result of a routine equipment maintenance process. During this process, it was necessary to burn off gases that needed to be replaced, and this was done by channeling the gases into a flare for combustion.

They assured the worried residents that the gases released during this procedure were non-toxic and harmless.

The video was provided by local media with permission.

2月14日，河南驻马店。驿城区一化肥厂烟囱冒出大量紫色烟雾，当地居民质疑释放的气体是碘化钾，存在毒性。对此化肥厂工作人员回应称：当时是因为设备检修，将需要置换的气体放入火炬中燃烧，释放的气体无毒无害。