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1,000 evacuated after chemical leak in east China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-20 06:31

WENZHOU: More than 1,000 people were evacuated after a chemical leak from a shoe plant in east China's Zhejiang Province, firefighters said Sunday.

The leak of styrene, an irritative, flammable shoe material in liquid form, occurred in Hongchang Shoe Materials Co Ltd in Longwan District, Wenzhou City at around 1:50 pm Sunday, the city's firefighters said.

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More than 1,000 people from the company and nearby factories were evacuated after the leak.

The company had a stockpile of 20 tonnes of styrene that had passed its expiration date for use. High temperatures outside in the past few days were likely to lead to chemical reactions of the material and thus the leak, according to firefighters.

The leak was contained after firefighters cooled the chemical with water.

The evacuated people returned Sunday afternoon.