34 fall ill in China gas leak

BEIJING - At least 34 people were hospitalised after poisonous gas leaked from a chemical plant in China, authorities said Thursday.

Titanium tetrachloride, a gas with pungent odour, leaked from the plant in south China Tuesday night when workers were cleaning it. The plant is owned by Guinan Titanium Co. Ltd., Xinhua reported.

Of the 34 workers, 24 have been discharged from hospital and 10 are under treatment. “They are in a stable condition,” said Huang Zhihong, head of the hospital.