Society

CO poisoning kills 3 in E China plant

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-11 20:05

NANJING - An incident of carbon monoxide poisoning resulted in three deaths in a factory in East China's Jiangsu province on Saturday, authorities said.

The accident occurred at 9:15 am at a foundry located in the Wujin district of the city of Changzhou, said a spokesman with the district government.

A foundry worker was overcome by carbon monoxide and fell into a furnace while conducting a routine check of the furnace, according to the spokesman. Six others, including a firefighter, were poisoned while trying to rescue him, the spokesman said.

The furnace was not on at the time of the accident, and the foundry worker is still inside of it, the spokesman said.

Rescuers are still working to free the worker, and the poisoned victims have been sent to a local hospital for treatment, according to the spokesman.

An investigation of the accident is under way.