30 fall ill due to China gas leak
By IANSTuesday, November 23, 2010
BEIJING - At least 30 people fell ill Tuesday due to leakage of toxic chlorine gas from a plant in China’s Jiangsu province, officials said.
The gas leaked out of the Dahe Chlor-Alkli Co. Ltd. in the morning and travelled downwind, poisoning in the process employees of the Zhijiang Chemicals Co. Ltd. in Yancheng city, Xinhua reported citing municipal government officials.
A worker of the Dahe Chlor-Alkli Co. Ltd. “mishandled” a valve which caused the accident. The gas leak lasted for about five minutes, a statement said.
The people who showed symptoms of poisoning were immediately rushed to a hospital. Some of them were discharged but 21 people were still being treated.
There were, however, no casualties.
Authorities are now evaluating the impact of the gas leak on the environment.
