All 7,000 evacuees from a toxic gas leak accident on Sunday in northwest China's Shaanxi Province have returned home, said local officials last night.

The accident happened at about 4:30 PM Sunday in Lintong District, Xi'an, provincial capital of Shaanxi, when a tank carrying 24.5 tons of propylene tried to pass through a highway tunnel. The valve on the top of the tank broke, as the vehicle was too high to get through the tunnel.

Residents from 10 nearby villages were evacuated after the leak. The tank was capped yesterday evening.

Water and air in the local area were not polluted after being examined by provincial environment authorities, said Qin Zheng, secretary of the provincial government. No one was injured from inhaling the fumes, he added.

Local police are pursuing the tank driver who fled the scene after the accident. The tank was registered in east China's Anhui Province.

Propylene is a colorless and highly flammable gas. Exposure to the gas can cause irregular heartbeat, liver damage, and unconsciousness.

(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2007)