Chlorine spill poisons 300 in China

A tire on a truck carrying liquid chlorine burst, causing the vehicle to hit another truck and overturn in eastern China, spilling the chemical and poisoning 300 nearby villagers, the government said today. Three people were killed, and 3,000 evacuated from the area.

The truck was carrying 30 tons and travelling on the main expressway between Beijing and Shanghai when the incident occurred yesterday evening near Huaian, a city in Jiangsu province, the official Xinhua News Agency said.