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)