Beijing sewage plant explosion kills 3 workers

BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A sudden explosion of a pump at a sewage plant in Gaobeidian to the southwest of Beijing on Monday leaked poisonous gas that has left three workers dead and at least16 others poisoned.

Chaoyang Hospital in Beijing received 23 workers from the plant. Two died before they reached the hospital, and one died during emergency treatment at the hospital, said Li Chunsheng, head of the hospital's emergency treatment department.

The General Hospital of Civil Aviation, which admitted one worker after the accident, said that the worker is on the danger list.

"One worker who had been in a deep coma Monday night improved on Tuesday morning, and five workers have left hospital after medical examination. So far, 15 of the workers are still in hospital for further treatment," said Hao Fengtong, a doctor in charge of the toxicosis department in Chaoyang Hospital.

Doctors said that the workers' symptoms suggested that they were mainly poisoned by sulphurated hydrogen. But the sewage plant explosion could also produce other deadly gas such as methane.

The explosion occurred at 11:30 a.m. Monday at the underground pump, which is connected to four sewage tanks.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The workers were unable to account for what happened.