Chinese gas well disaster 'was negligence'

A gas well accident in which 233 people died was due to negligence and those responsible “will be dealt with”, a Chinese safety official said today.

Toxic fumes spewed from a burst gas well on December 23, spreading across a mountainous area in southwest China and killing villagers as they slept or tried to flee.

It was the country’s worst recent industrial disaster.

“This was an accident due to negligence,” Sun Huashan, deputy director of the State Administration for Work Safety, said on state television. “Those people who were responsible will be dealt with.”

He did not say who might be punished for the disaster near the city of Chongqing or what penalty they might face.

The government had earlier blamed an unspecified drilling accident.

Investigators concluded that the drilling crew improperly dismantled anti-blowout equipment, misjudged the amount of gas in the well and failed to spot the blowout, Sun said.

After the fumes began to flow from the well, the crew failed to ignite them, which would have prevented them from spreading, Sun said.

Emergency crews plugged the well on December 27.

Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from surrounding villages but have since been allowed to return home.