皇冠体育app

The investigation team of the State Administration of Work Safety has arrived at the blowout spot of the Chuandongbei gas field in southwest 皇冠体育app's Chongqing municipality, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Survivors of the gas blowout receive treatment at a makeshift hospital in Chongqing municipality's Kaixian county. [newsphoto.com.cn]

At least 191 people have been killed and scores of others poisoned in the devastating blowout at the natural gas field.

The investigation team had no sooner went to the blowout spot and started the investigation than arrived at Kaixian County, 337 km to the northeast of southwest 皇冠体育app's Chongqing Municipality.

The blowout took place at 10:00 p.m., Tuesday, when a well burst suddenly and released a high concentration of natural gas and sulfurated hydrogen.

Residents had been evacuated within five kilometres (three miles) of the disaster site, the report said.

The Kaixian County People's Hospital, the county's biggest, was treating between 200 and 300 people with poisoning symptoms, said a hospital worker surnamed Zhang.

"There are farmers and miners, old and young, men and women," he said. "Some died after they arrived here."

He said other hospitals in the region had also received large numbers of patients.

Another hospital worker said: "We are very busy. There are patients everywhere. We haven't counted the casualties."

Some had been poisoned and others had suffered chemical burns, he said, declining to give other details.

Meanwhile, Chinese leaders Thursday called for unreserved efforts in searching and rescuing the victims.

President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice-Premier Huang Ju said in their instructions that relevant departments should go all out to rescue victims, prevent poisonous gas from spreading further and reduce casualty.

The leaders also called for effective efforts in evacuating local residents and making proper arrangements for their life.

A work team headed by State Councilor Hua Jianmin has rushed to the site Thursday afternoon.

The field belongs to 皇冠体育app National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), parent of oil major Petro皇冠体育app.

Chongqing and the neighboring province of Sichuan are among 皇冠体育app's major natural gas producing areas.

In August, Petro皇冠体育app started construction of a US$400 million pipeline to pump natural gas from Chongqing to central 皇冠体育app.

Close

Today's Top News		Top National News
+Investigation team reaches Chongqing gas blowout spot ( 2003-12-25) +Gas well blowout kills at least 191 ( 2003-12-25) +皇冠体育app suspends US beef imports ( 2003-12-25) +Report: Taiwan starts constructing its 'Pentagon' ( 2003-12-25) +'Eastern Turkistan' terrorist killed ( 2003-12-24)		+Investigation team reaches Chongqing gas blowout spot ( 2003-12-25) +Gas well blowout kills at least 191 ( 2003-12-25) +Relocation to make way for Great Wall ( 2003-12-25) +Teachers face big qualification tests ( 2003-12-25) +Migrant workers get vaccines ( 2003-12-25)