All 7,000 evacuees from a toxic gas leak accident on Sunday in
northwest China's Shaanxi Province have returned home, said
local officials last night.
The accident happened at about 4:30 PM Sunday in Lintong
District, Xi'an, provincial capital of Shaanxi, when a tank
carrying 24.5 tons of propylene tried to pass through a highway
tunnel. The valve on the top of the tank broke, as the vehicle was
too high to get through the tunnel.
Residents from 10 nearby villages were evacuated after the leak.
The tank was capped yesterday evening.
Water and air in the local area were not polluted after being
examined by provincial environment authorities, said Qin Zheng,
secretary of the provincial government. No one was injured from
inhaling the fumes, he added.
Local police are pursuing the tank driver who fled the scene
after the accident. The tank was registered in east China's Anhui Province.
Propylene is a colorless and highly flammable gas. Exposure to
the gas can cause irregular heartbeat, liver damage, and
unconsciousness.
(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2007)