A woman in southwest China’s municipality of Chongqing recently received US$300 in compensation for being scared by a blast from a gas-cooker in her kitchen.
The woman, Li Xiaoling, while cooking the lunch in her kitchen, was scared “almost to death” when she heard a huge explosion occur just beside her on October 26.
Though nobody was injured, she complained to the local consumers’ association asking for spiritual compensation from the gas-cooker’s producer and seller.
The producer and the seller argued that Li herself should take certain responsibility for not using the cooker properly, but, later after the local consumers’ association’s intercession, they agreed to refund the money Li paid for the cooker and give her some compensation.
The local consumers’ association held that Li’s request was reasonable and should be supported.
(Xinhua 11/14/2000)
