A sulphur dioxide leak at a factory in central China on Tuesday
resulted in 108 local residents being taken to hospital with
breathing difficulties.
The accident occurred close to midnight at a chemical plant in
the city of Yidu in Hubei
Province after a lightning-triggered blackout damaged a tower
containing sulphur dioxide.
“Most of the 108 people, who had symptoms of respiratory
diseases including coughing and distress, have returned home after
careful examination at hospital,” Nie, a senior official from the
Yidu Security Supervision Bureau, told reporters.
But 18 of them, who were seriously poisoned, are still in
hospital though they have been declared out of danger, Nie said.
The accident site has been closed and the source of the leak is now
under control.
“The breeze at night is helping reduce the density of the
chemical in the air, so the lives of neighboring residents should
not be affected,” said Nie.
Although local authorities are still conducting investigations,
the official pointed out that poor backup systems at the Chuxing
Company’s plant will force the firm to take some
responsibility.
“Having its output capacity expanded in recent years, the
company ignored upgrading its emergency power supply system for its
sulphur dioxide insulating tower,” Nie said. So when the blackout
struck, the system was not able to respond or safeguard normal
operations for the tower.
The Yidu government is now dealing with the aftermath by sending
officials related to security supervision, environmental protection
and health care to the affected village.
In April nine people died in a chlorine leak in southwestern Chongqing
Municipality and 30,000 people were forced to evacuate homes.
And in the same month there were also poisonous leaks in Beijing,
Jiangxi
and Zhejiang
that claimed five lives. At the time the State Council said the
cause of all the incidents was outdated security and backup
systems.
(China Daily November 10, 2004)