4 held over blast rumors
Source: Xinhua |
February 14, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
Four people in Xiangshui County in east China's Jiangsu Province have been detained over a rumor which triggered a panic in which four people died, a local government spokesman said yesterday.
The four died last Thursday amid the chaos stirred by rumors that a local chemical plant was about to explode.
Two suspects were detained on charges of spreading false information and another two were taken into custody for violation of laws, the spokesman said.
More than 10,000 residents of four townships in the county fled into the streets, panicking over rumors of a toxic gas leak from a chemical plant that could cause an explosion at any moment.
The four victims were on a motor tricycle carrying more than 20 panic-stricken residents which crashed into a river.
There were two chemical plant accidents - an explosion and a toxic gas leak - in the past three years in Xiangshui. So when the rumors began early on Thursday, residents found them easy to believe.
The county government began to deny the rumors in text messages, on radio, TV and on websites at around 6am on Thursday.
A press conference was held at around 10:30am to announce that the situation was under control.
But many villagers doubted the government's statement.
"I myself smelled an unusual pungent odor early that morning," said Li, a resident of Tanggang Village. "I could still smell the farm chemical later that morning, but a police car came and told us to go back home."
Xiangshui County has a chemical industry park which covers an area of 10.5 square kilometers and has attracted more than 40 chemical companies there since 2002.
Many villagers have expressed their fears about pollution from the chemical plants.
In 2007 an explosion in the park killed eight people. And in November last year, more than 30 people were poisoned after chlorine leaked from another chemical plant.
The four died last Thursday amid the chaos stirred by rumors that a local chemical plant was about to explode.
Two suspects were detained on charges of spreading false information and another two were taken into custody for violation of laws, the spokesman said.
More than 10,000 residents of four townships in the county fled into the streets, panicking over rumors of a toxic gas leak from a chemical plant that could cause an explosion at any moment.
The four victims were on a motor tricycle carrying more than 20 panic-stricken residents which crashed into a river.
There were two chemical plant accidents - an explosion and a toxic gas leak - in the past three years in Xiangshui. So when the rumors began early on Thursday, residents found them easy to believe.
The county government began to deny the rumors in text messages, on radio, TV and on websites at around 6am on Thursday.
A press conference was held at around 10:30am to announce that the situation was under control.
But many villagers doubted the government's statement.
"I myself smelled an unusual pungent odor early that morning," said Li, a resident of Tanggang Village. "I could still smell the farm chemical later that morning, but a police car came and told us to go back home."
Xiangshui County has a chemical industry park which covers an area of 10.5 square kilometers and has attracted more than 40 chemical companies there since 2002.
Many villagers have expressed their fears about pollution from the chemical plants.
In 2007 an explosion in the park killed eight people. And in November last year, more than 30 people were poisoned after chlorine leaked from another chemical plant.
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