5 dead from poisoning after illegally dumping industrial waste in China

China 24

Screenshot from CCTV

Five people died of toxic poisoning after illegally discharging liquid industrial waste in north China’s Hebei province on Friday.

According to a preliminary investigation by local police, the workers inhaled toxic gas and fainted while dumping waste from two tankers at a river near Niuxinzhuang Village in Wuji County at around 05:30 a.m. local time.

They died at a nearby hospital despite emergency medical treatment.

An aerial video shows smoke rising from a black pit on the ground at the site of the dumping.

Police have cordoned off the site, but people are reporting a strong odor as far as two kilometers away.

There have been no reports of illness from local residents thus far.

Police said the incident is being treated as a criminal case.

They have traced the dumping to a 12-member gang that includes those killed in the dumping, and have arrested seven other suspects.

Story by CCTV