The construction site where the gas cylinder was found in
Qiqihar City of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Monday
has been isolated by the local police.
At about 6 pm Monday, the Qiqihar City Police Department
received a report saying that an iron cylinder with pungent smell
was found in a construction site, where a packing house stood in
the past.
The cylinder, black and around one meter high, was then taken
away after being covered with plastic cloth, according to the
witness.
The poison has been confirmed by chemical experts from the
Shenyang Military Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army
(PLA) Tuesday as mustard gas left by the Japanese intruding troops
during the World War II.
Eight local people suspected of being poisoned were immediately
hospitalized.
A team of medical experts from the Chinese army's 302 Hospital
were appointed by the municipal government of Qiqihar to examine
mustard gas victims.
They had received regular examination around 9:00 pm Monday, and
were found congestion in conjunctivas. One felt sick and suffered
headache.
The experts said no serious condition was found of the eight
victims in the second round checkup Tuesday afternoon.
Sun Jinghai, head of the team, said it was hard to decide the
health condition of the victims until their indexes of blood sugar
and uric acid came out.
Even though, the bungalows nearby was segregated by the
patrolling police wagons.
Some restaurants around the place also closed their doors as few
people came here for their meals since the mustard gas with strong
pungent and stink smell was found.
In August 2003, 44 people were poisoned by the
Japanese-abandoned mustard gas in the city, one of whom died.
(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2004)