Unidentified gas kills five in central China
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-04-30 19:59

Five migrant workers were killed by unidentified gas Friday when they were cleaning up drainage pipelines in Xiantao City of the central China's Hubei province, said sources with the city's relevant government department.

At 11:00 a.m. Friday, five migrant workers went into a drainage pipeline six meters underground to clean up the silt. Ten minutes later, workers on ground heard calls for help from the pipeline and went down to save them.

However, they rescued out only one from the underground pipeline who was in a coma. The other 4 remained trapped in the pipeline.

Rescue work has been conducted immediately. By 16:00 p.m. Friday, rescuers found bodies of the other four migrant workers. The one rescued out by the workers died in the process of rescue treatment in hospital, the source said.

According to preliminary estimates by experts, the five were likely killed by methane underground. The relevant departments are dealing with the aftermath of the accident and investing into cause of the accident.

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