At least ten people have passed away with 19 injuries reported after carbon dioxide leaked from a cargo ship´s fire fighting system in eastern China, local officials reported Sunday.
The gas leak occurred at 4:00 pm (0800 GMT) Saturday at Longyan Port in Weihai, eastern Shandong province, the local government reported through its official Twitter-like Weibo account.
Medical treatment is being provided to the injured and their condition is stated to be stable, the statement said.
Fujian Shipping Company owned the cargo vessel and was under renovation when the gas leak occurred.
A preliminary investigation has found that the accident was the result of improper procedures by the ship´s crew.
Local police have a certain number of staff members in custody, and further investigation is ongoing, said local authorities.
Chemical accidents are common in China, where safety regulations are rarely enforced.
Last month, ten people choked to death from smoke inhalation at a large Chinese pharmaceutical firm in Shandong province.
In March, a chemical blast in eastern Jiangsu province killed 78 and left hundreds injured in one of the country´s worst industrial accidents in recent years.
In November, a gas leak at a plant in the northern Chinese city of Zhangjiakou — which will host the 2022 Winter Olympics — killed 24 people and injured 21 others.
