Gas leak poisons more than 30 people in east China

More than 30 people suffered chlorine gas poisoning after the toxic gas leaked out from a plant Tuesday in east China's Jiangsu Province, local authorities said.

The gas leaked out of Dahe Chlor-Alkli Co., Ltd. in the morning and poisoned employees of Zhijiang Chemicals Co., Ltd. who were downwind in an industrial park of Xiangshui County, Yancheng City, according to a statement from the municipal government.

Those poisoned were immediately rushed to a local hospital. Some were subsequently discharged but 21 people were still being treated. No deaths were reported, according to the statement.

A worker of Dahe Chlor-Alkli Co., Ltd. mishandled a valve which caused the accident. The leak lasted about five minutes, the statement said.

Local authorities were working to evaluate and contain the accident's impact on the environment, it said.

Source:Xinhua