Seven people were found dead in a corn processing mill in Xingping Village of Wutai County in north China’s Shanxi Provinc on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, after a suspected carbon monoxide leak, local authorities said.
According to the official Xinhua news agency, the incident occurred Tuesday evening when a person surnamed Shan entered the feeding pit of a drying facility of the mill, which has been out of production since the beginning of this year. Contact with Shan was subsequently lost.
Following the incident, six individuals ventured into the pit in a heroic effort to rescue the victims, but unfortunately, it is suspected that all of them were fatally poisoned, Xinhua reported.
Afterwards, the affected individuals were swiftly removed from the location and quickly taken to the hospital by firefighters and rescue personnel. Unfortunately, despite the courageous efforts to save them, none of the six individuals survived.
The cause of the leak is still under investigation, but preliminary findings suggest that it was related to carbon monoxide poisoning, Xinhua reported.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and death if inhaled in high concentrations. It is often produced by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal, wood, or gas.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of gas appliances in China, where carbon monoxide poisoning incidents are not uncommon. In December 2020, 23 people died in a coal mine accident in southwest China’s Chongqing municipality due to carbon monoxide exposure. In January 2021, five people were killed and another five were hospitalized after a gas leak at a residential building in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province.
The Chinese government has issued regulations and standards to prevent and control carbon monoxide poisoning, such as installing carbon monoxide detectors and alarms, improving ventilation systems, and conducting regular inspections and maintenance of gas equipment. However, some experts have pointed out that the enforcement and supervision of these measures are still inadequate, especially in rural areas and old buildings.
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, experts advise people to use certified gas appliances, check for leaks and malfunctions regularly, keep windows open when using gas stoves or heaters, and seek medical attention immediately if they experience any symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure.
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