Premier Wen Jiabao gave instructions Saturday for effective
measures to be taken to eradicate any hidden dangers from the
chlorine leak accident in southwest China's Chongqing
Municipality.
Further leaks or blasts should be avoided to ensure rescuers'
safety and the injured should be rescued at all costs, the premier
said.
Residents living near the accident site should be relocated
properly and provided with enough daily necessities to maintain
stable social order and experts from the state safety supervision
department should be sent to the accident site to join the rescue
work, he said.
Environment inspection should be strengthened and all possible
measures should be taken to make clear the causes of the accident
and guard against any hidden dangers, Wen added.
The chlorine leak began Thursday night at the Tianyuan Chemical
Industry Plant in Jiangbei District and was followed by powerful
explosions at Friday afternoon, releasing a high concentration of
highly irritating, greenish-yellow chlorine gas. Nine people have
been confirmed dead and three others injured.
Rescue work has been progressing smoothly. Rescuers have been
clearing remaining explosion risks and spreading alkaline water
into the air to neutralize the chlorine gas. The chemical plant has
closed all the gas pipes and removed all possible dangerous
chlorine tanks to safety. Only three tanks remained and the
chlorine inside, about five tons, will be discharged safely.
The environmental protection departments have been monitoring
water quality in the Jialing River and one affected waterworks in
the area stopped water collection from the Jialing River.
Experts from the state safety departments arrived in Chongqing
to take part in the rescue work Saturday afternoon.
Evacuees within 500 meters from the plant will have to spend
another night in the temporary lodging sites.
Chlorine gas tanks to be exploded Sunday morning in
Chongqing
Authorities have decided to explode the three remaining gas
tanks Sunday morning at the accident site of a chlorine leak and
explosion in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.
So far, the blasts, that occurred Friday afternoon at the
Tianyuan Chemical Industry Plant, have left nine people dead and
three others injured.
Officials and experts directing the rescue work decided on the
explosion plan Saturday evening after they studied the feasibility
of four proposals on how to deal with the remaining toxic gas.
Experts said the gas tanks will be exploded by shooting from a
distance.
They said there is little chance that the remaining gas will
blow up spontaneously Saturday night while being let out.
However, firemen have been stationed near the site in case of
accidental blasts.
It is expected that the five tons of gas in the tanks will be
reduced after a night's natural release and a low amount of gas
content will keep possible risks at a minimum.
Before the explosion, the 20,000-odd residents near the accident
site, who were evacuated to safe places, still cannot return home,
official sources said.
More than 150,000 residents have been moved out of areas within
three kilometers surrounding the plant.
(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2004)