(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-08-22 16:42

JINAN - Workers' negligence has been blamed for the molten aluminium spill that killed 14 and injured 59 at a factory in East China's Shandong Province on Sunday, the provincial work safety watchdog said on Tuesday.

The inner lining of an aluminium container at the factory in Zouping County fell off because it was mishandled by workers, which led to the spillage of aluminium at a temperature of 900 degrees Celsius, the Shandong Provincial Work Safety Bureau said.

Most of the victims were workers from Hubei Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Only three injured workers have been discharged from hospital so far, according to government officials dealing with the accident.

Four months ago, 32 workers were killed and six others injured at a steel plant in Liaoning Province when a ladle transporting molten steel broke.