School Students Sick After Gas Leak in Southwest China

Gas from a chemical plant has been blamed for making almost 100 middle-school students fall ill on Saturday in southwest China’s Guizhou Province.

The students, from Yucai Middle School in Tongzi County, started feeling sick on Wednesday and were sent to the hospital. By early Saturday, 96 students had reported symptoms associated with chemical gas poisoning, including headaches and shortness of breath.

Twenty-two of the students are still in the hospital.

A similar accident occurred five days ago when 106 elementary school students in Chumi Town were taken ill, with similar symptoms. Local authorities blamed the accident on a chlorine gas leak from an electrolysis workshop in Zunbao Titanium Co., Ltd.

Zhao Li, a student at Yucai Middle School, says she started feeling sick on Wednesday afternoon. Her father says she had a persistent headache and was short of breath for three days.

[Yang Yongqiang, Tongzi County Hospital]:
"These are the typical symptoms after poisoning by chlorine gas. Zhao Li is now suffering from infection of the upper respiratory tract, tonsillitis and irritant reactions to inhalation of chloric gas."

The chemical plant has been ordered to stop its trial operation and checks are underway in and around the plant.