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American Morning
Nearly 200 Killed in Deadly Accident in China
Aired December 25, 2003 - 08:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: There has been a deadly accident at a natural gas field in south central China. A well blow out released toxic fumes that have killed nearly 200 people.
CNN's Lisa Rose Weaver joins us on the video phone from Beijing with the details -- Lisa, the death toll just seems to keep climbing by the moment.
LISA ROSE WEAVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, and it may well continue to climb. Local officials we spoke with telling us that rescue crews are on site, continuing to look for victims, people who may -- other people who may have been killed or injured. They have ordered an evacuation of the area of five square kilometers around it, a very remote site, which may indicate that rescue work could be quite difficult. It's a several hours drive to the natural gas field from Chongqing City in southwestern China.
Now, state media is quoting the chief rescue official on site as saying that this was a rather unusual gas blow out in that gas from a side crevice or a pocket adjacent to the main area of drilling somehow blew out into the gas field, poisoning people in the -- in the process. The case has already -- what appears to be an accident is already gaining national attention. The Chinese president and premier have urged rescue crews to do all they can to continue to evacuate people and control the gas.
Meanwhile, rescue officials say they hope to have it under control by tomorrow local time.
WHITFIELD: Lisa Rose Weaver from Beijing on the video phone.
Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 25, 2003 - 08:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: There has been a deadly accident at a natural gas field in south central China. A well blow out released toxic fumes that have killed nearly 200 people.
CNN's Lisa Rose Weaver joins us on the video phone from Beijing with the details -- Lisa, the death toll just seems to keep climbing by the moment.
LISA ROSE WEAVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, and it may well continue to climb. Local officials we spoke with telling us that rescue crews are on site, continuing to look for victims, people who may -- other people who may have been killed or injured. They have ordered an evacuation of the area of five square kilometers around it, a very remote site, which may indicate that rescue work could be quite difficult. It's a several hours drive to the natural gas field from Chongqing City in southwestern China.
Now, state media is quoting the chief rescue official on site as saying that this was a rather unusual gas blow out in that gas from a side crevice or a pocket adjacent to the main area of drilling somehow blew out into the gas field, poisoning people in the -- in the process. The case has already -- what appears to be an accident is already gaining national attention. The Chinese president and premier have urged rescue crews to do all they can to continue to evacuate people and control the gas.
Meanwhile, rescue officials say they hope to have it under control by tomorrow local time.
WHITFIELD: Lisa Rose Weaver from Beijing on the video phone.
Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
