Air quality in the Xixia district of Yinchuan, capital city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, returned to normal on Wednesday following a chlorine gas leak on Sunday evening, said local authorities.

 

The leak on Sunday evening sent 164 people to hospital. The leak was caused by a broken valve in a buffer tank containing liquefied chlorine.

 

The Xin'erte Chemical Company has paid 300,000 yuan to treat the people poisoned by the leak.

 

Currently 117 people have been treated and released from hospital. Six others are expected to be released soon, said local sources.

 

The company had been ordered to suspend production and have its workers study safety regulations. It is now drafting plans to have aging equipment replaced.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 13, 2006)