Poisonous liquid waste leaking from a gold mining plant in Beijing's suburban district of Huairou left three people dead and another eight hospitalized.

The accident happened at about 7:00 p.m. Tuesday in the Badaohe gold mining plant which belongs to the Beijing Zhongfa Gold Co. Ltd.

Beijing municipal and officials of Huairou rushed to the plant to guide rescue work and evacuate residents nearby.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2004)